Wenger eyes revenge
01 Nov 2006 - 16:42:27
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is keen to gain revenge for last month's defeat to CSKA Moscow when the Russian side arrive in London for the return Champions League clash between the two sides at the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners lost 1-0 in the Lokomotiv Stadium, although Wenger still thinks his side deserved to take at least a point from the match as Thierry Henry had a late effort controversially disallowed.
The result leaves CSKA top of Group G, one point clear of Wenger's second-placed side.
"We didn't get the right performance in Moscow," admitted Wenger. "But we were also punished because, for me, the game finished 1-1.
"Moscow played very well but it was down to a very bad decision by the referee. I've watched it from 200 angles and nobody could find a handball.
"It gives us a little bit extra [motivation] this evening because, firstly, it wasn't a handball and also we had to take the yellow card from it.
"They gave us a problem there and they will give us one again this time. They defended very well but also they were aggressive and well-organised. They played on the break and did well on set-pieces. We expect that again.
"We did not have the urgency that we needed over there. It may have been down to the fact that physically we were a little diminished because it was the fourth game in 10 days, there was the travelling to Moscow and playing at 5.30pm.
"But tonight I feel we have to be very mobile and play the game we want to play. That means we must go behind their defenders and try to put a high pace into the game.
"It is the decisive moment because if we win the game we are nearly qualified, although it is not mathematically done.
"But we want to keep winning our home games. We want to repeat the performance we did against Porto."