Wenger on the win, Bellerin and Cech

Arsene Wenger spoke to the media following Arsenal's 2-0 win against Bayern Munich. This is what he said:

on where that ranked in favourite results…

I don’t know. We had an absolute necessity to win the game and we did it in an intense and disciplined way. It was a top level game between two top-level teams. Bayern had more possession than us but we decided to make it tight in our final third and catch them on the break. The last part of the game where we went longer and used long balls we could play more in their half and they struggled. I think they dropped a bit physically as well but overall I think we have beaten a very strong team and kept a good level focus from the first to the last minute and kept a clean sheet as well.

on if letting Bayern have possession was the plan…

It is was not deliberate from the start but I thought when we played very high up we stopped them from playing. When we were playing halfway they opened us up too much so I decided to drop Ozil a bit deeper and to make it tight around the box and catch them on the break because we have the pace to do it and to find some space with the game going on.

on if he sensed something special would happen…

You never know if you will win the game but you know that team focus and dynamic was there. We had that for a while now and I said yesterday in the press conference that I think we were not at our level of focus in the first two games as we always focus on the Premier League. Tonight we knew we needed that as well that we had to show what we do in the Premier League against Bayern.

on Petr Cech…

He was important. I think he kept us in the game and you can say the same for Neuer. We had two top, top, top world-class keepers on the pitch today and that of course was vital on both sides.

on winning using a different style…

It can strengthen our belief and strengthen the belief of people of around us, that means out fans, our supporters. We won 3-0 against Manchester United, 3-0 against Watford and 2-0 tonight so it is important we have a good balance between defending well and attacking well. As long as we defend well and score goals then the balance is right.

on if Giroud is an extra weapon…

I would give him some credit because it is not easy, he has always played and he had a bit of a dip in form. I have seen that in the last two weeks that he is coming back to his best but the focus he brings and the spirit he shows is he is a winner. He gives us a different option when it does not work on the ground he gives us options in the air and both Walcott and Giroud I like. I just have to use both of them in the right way.

on if he regrets not playing Cech in the first match…

I expected this question in the press conference. I have already spoken about that.

on Aaron Ramsey…

He is alright but very down because he told me that his hamstring is quite a tough one. He is out.

on Alexis…

Alexis, you could see he was a bit jaded physically tonight and he still pushes himself so much but he finished exhausted. The two games with Chile, plus travelling, plus Watford, plus tonight, it is too much.

on Bellerin’s performance against Costa…

I think Costa is a top-class player. What I like is two top level players, in the end Hector found always the resources in the last 10-15 minutes to get on top of him and that is fantastic to see from a boy of 20 years-old.

on if Bellerin will learn from this…

Of course, he was top level. I like the fact that he has that desire to get on top of his opponent until the last minute. That competitive edge he brings to the game.

on where Arsenal stand in the group…

I don’t know. We need a result at Bayern. Now let’s focus on Everton.

on putting Mertesacker forward…

I saw that our players wanted to play it short and I thought that with Giroud on the pitch, Mertesacker and Koscielny and they were playing quite a high line on the free-kick we had a very good chance to score there. We had to win the game so we had to take a gamble on that.