THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LONDON — Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger delivered a scathing assessment of his team’s efforts in the 3-1 defeat to Manchester United on Sunday and urged his players to come up with a completely different performance against Chelsea next week.
Wenger called the players "naive" and said there wasn’t any cohesion in the team’s movements.
"It’s difficult to accept but easy to explain, because we were poor defensively, offensively and cohesion-wise," Wenger said. "We delivered an off-the-mark performance completely and that’s why we were well-beaten today.
"We always gave them too much room," the Frenchman said. "We were naive."
Wenger doesn’t often publicly criticize his team and many times blames bad results on poor refereeing decisions or what he perceives to be the anti-football tactics of opposing teams. But on this occasion, Wenger didn’t hold back.
"It’s a massive blow and a massive disappointment," he said of his team’s title chances.
The manager said the team will have to produce "something special now" to remain in the Premier League title race. His side is in third place, five points behind leader Chelsea having played a game more, and four points behind United.
"Next Sunday, we have to deliver another performance before we think about winning the game" at Stamford Bridge, Wenger said. "We have to focus on delivering completely a different performance."
He didn’t single out anyone by name, but he was clearly frustrated by many first-team players who he rested in the FA Cup loss at Stoke last week.
"Some players didn’t play at all last Sunday and were not at their best," Wenger said.
Arsenal fans were particularly displeased with the performances of midfielder Denilson and goalkeeper Manuel Almunia, who palmed a ball into his own net from a Nani cross for United’s opening goal.
Defender William Gallas had also stormed forward on attacking runs and left other teammates to cover for him at the back. United scored its two other goals on the counterattack after the runs by Gallas.
Wenger declined to identify the cause of Sunday’s poor performance.
"It’s too early to analyze," Wenger said. "I believe there are some mental reasons involved but it’s difficult to say."
Wenger said, however, that he doesn’t intend to buy anyone in the transfer window, which is about to close.