Arsene Wenger: 'If you look at this season many Premier League teams are going out to lower league teams'

Published: 16 February, 2013
by TOM FOOT

FA Cup Fifth Round
ARSENAL 0, BLACKBURN ROVERS 1

ARSENAL are out of the FA Cup after resting their star players for a Champions League fixture on Tuesday – they are 50/1 to win the European competition.

The Gunners and manager Arsene Wenger left the field to a tirade of abuse following the shock defeat to Championship side Blackburn at the Emirates.

Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere, Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla were benched ahead of the Champions League clash with Bayern Munich.

But many fans believe the FA Cup was the club's only realistic chance of silverware, and accused the manager of "showing no respect" for domestic honours.

The defeat to Blackburn followed the defeat to League Two Bradford in the Capital One Cup in December. When the season began, Arsenal had not lost to lower league opposition since Wenger took control in 1996.

After the match, Wenger said: "It is 16 years without losing against lower league and that has never been done before. It is very disappointing two happen in the same season. But I prepare the same way I have done in all those 16 years. I leave you all the headlines, but the season isn't over.

"If you look at this season many Premier League teams are going out to lower league teams. It has happened to many teams this year."

Colin Kazim-Richards bumbled a snap-shot in off the post after Wojciech Szczesny made a weak parry towards him on 72 minutes. It was Blackburn's only shot on target, compared to Arsenal's 16 – a statistic Wenger said was "very difficult to accept", adding: "We had plenty of chances to win but offensively we lacked ruthlessness. We are out on one mistake."

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was the driving force in the first half and was backed up by precise passing from Abou Diaby, Mikel Arteta and Tomas Rosicky. But by half-time it was the high number of corners that was the talking point in the press box: 11 to the away side's nil.

A powerful header from Diaby was kept out by a superb one-handed save from the Blackburn keeper, but just before half-time, Gervinho missed an absolute sitter, dragging a shot well wide after being put clean through. He struck the bar with a wonder shot shortly before being replaced in a triple substitution by Wenger late in the second half.

Wilshere, Walcott and Cazorla came on only to watch their side go one-nil down a minute later. They huffed and puffed but could not cut their way through a resolute Blackburn back line.

Blackburn boss Marc Atherton said after the game the win was "probably" the best of his 18-month career. He added: "We are enjoying defending – we have four or five players who enjoy defending and enjoy putting their bodies on the line."