'Tonight we had a top-quality game'
On a top-quality game...
"I believe overall it was a game of top quality with two teams who really went for it. You had the quality of the passing, sometimes the ball was played through a very short space but at a high pace and overall you can say tonight we gave the people what they paid for and I'm very happy to say that and we had top quality in every position I must say.
"The experienced players played well, the young players played well. We had Craig Eastmond make his debut tonight in a holding role and everybody did well in every position. Liverpool came back to 1-1 and we still managed to win the game. That shows as well we have mental resources. It was more of a European Cup night than a Carling Cup night, quality wise. We have seen two very, very good teams who play at the top level."
On the youngsters who played...
"They all worked very hard and they have all shown quality. Fran is 19, Ramsey 18, Eastmond 18. They are all very young so to play a game of that level tonight they deserve a lot of credit."
On Fran Merida...
"He is a quality player and he comes from a very good school [in Spain]. I believe we had some top quality on the pitch in midfield and in that kind of game that is very important. I kept him because I felt he had the quality to break through [to the first team] but when you think that all the players who didn't play tonight plus all the injured players, of course the competition for places is very difficult. He came [to Arsenal] at a very young age but our school is on-line with the way he was educated and he shows perfectly the way we want to play football."
On Samir Nasri's return from injury...
"He has been out for a long time. He has not played a game [this season] and he managed 90 minutes tonight. How he will respond to that tomorrow and Friday I don't know but at least he managed to have a full game."
On having a choice of goalkeepers at his disposal...
"I don't know yet what I will do for Saturday but Lukasz Fabianski is available and he has done very well."
On not signing Alberto Aquilani...
"We were not interested in Aquilani last year, we were the year before. Last year he didn't play a lot and we didn't feel that this year we needed a player in this position because we have so many good young players in midfield. It's always difficult to convince people that we don't need players but when you see them play tonight you can understand why. We see them everyday in training and we have so much quality with our young players that we are not especially out on the market."
On youngsters getting a chance at Arsenal...
"I feel that we get many players through because behind me on the bench tonight were sitting players who played a lot. Most of them who play now in the first team have all played in the Carling Cup."
On Kieran Gibbs' performance...
"I think he was very good, both full backs were very good. Kerrea Gilbert started a bit nervous but in the second half he became stronger and stronger and Kieran Gibbs was very good tonight."
On the number of players who played tonight and will go on to play in the first-team...
"Nearly all of them have already played and I think they will all make it at the top level."
On Manuel Almunia...
"He is back to his normal level. I have no worries [about playing him on Saturday] but I don't want to give you any indication because I don't know myself what I will do for Saturday."
On Kieran Gibbs needing games to be considered for the England World Cup squad...
"He had a game tonight. He will get games. He has played already. Personally, if Fabio Capello asks me my opinion he will get a very positive one."
Quelle: arsenal.com
