Wenger accuses media of Stamford Bridge spin

Arsene Wenger has moved to put the record straight after Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack told the Arsenal manager to stop looking for excuses in the wake of defeat at Stamford Bridge. Following Sunday's 2-0 loss which left the Gunners some nine points off the Barclays Premier League leaders, Wenger congratulated Chelsea on their efficiency but also claimed "we didn't get a demonstration of football". Ballack responded by taunting Arsenal's inability to win big matches and to vary their tactics, declaring: "It is always the same style. If you play tactics like we did, you can beat them." The Gunners host Liverpool on Wednesday night, but the fall-out from Sunday's match continued in Tuesday's pre-match press conference at London Colney. Wenger said: "I would just like to say that I was full of compliments and praise for Chelsea after the game and I find it completely unfair from the press that you take one word of my press conference to turn it in a kind of probe every time. "You did that at Villa (where Martin O'Neill lambasted Wenger for criticising his team's tactics), you did that at Chelsea and every time. If you look at the intent of my press conference it was positive towards the opponent."

Source: PA