Wenger rues 'big steback' in race for title
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The pain was etched all over Arsène Wenger's features as he conceded that Sir Alex Ferguson, his great rival at Manchester United, was the "biggest winner" yesterday. As the Arsenal manager assessed where it went wrong for his team here in the helter-skelter final 20 minutes, his eyes narrowed and he laid the blame squarely at his defenders for their lack of "authority".
Wenger argued that Arsenal were in control and were set fair to add on the counter-attack to Bacary Sagna's first goal for the club. But while his purist principles might have been offended by Chelsea's route-one approach for their goals, he knew that William Gallas and Kolo Touré, in particular, should have stood taller.
Following the chaos inside the Arsenal penalty area before Didier Drogba's first goal, Touré completely lost his Ivory Coast team-mate on the second, after Gallas had been outjumped by the substitute Nicolas Anelka.
"It's a game we should have won but we have shown some lapses in concentration that we have paid for, which is difficult to swallow," said Wenger. "We played quite well and were in control, all that was left to Chelsea was to play long ball.
"I just feel we have some defensive problems that we need to sort out. We gave an easy goal away against Aston Villa and Middlesbrough and, defensively, we lost control of this game.
"We got caught when Anelka came on and by the long balls and the physical battle. We have to be stronger defensively because we were suddenly vulnerable on the long balls. It was in our hands but we needed more defensive authority. We were not serene enough defensively. I don't want to single anyone out. As a unit we need to show more authority."
Wenger complained that three Chelsea players were in offside positions on the long ball forward which preceded Drogba's first: "We have been very badly done [on decisions] recently," he said. But after four successive Premier League draws he admitted this loss was a "big setback".
Wenger's frustration was compounded in injury-time when the Chelsea goalkeeping coach, Christophe Lollichon, delayed giving Arsenal the ball back for a throw-in by the dug-outs. Wenger gestured angrily at him before the referee, Mark Clattenburg, sent Lollichon to the stands. At full-time Wenger shook Avram Grant's hand and disappeared straight down the tunnel. He has repeatedly praised the mental strength of his young team, and now they face another test of it.
"We have to come back to win games before we can dream of the title," said Wenger, who reported injuries to Sagna (ankle) and Gaël Clichy (hamstring). "We need to show our strength and I believe we have it. But we are six points back [from United] and we first have to win our next game [at Bolton]. I don't believe, though, that we have a confidence problem."
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is not so much of defence....is the finishing & scoring part!!!!!
Arsenal all the while used to had goal againt of 1 or 2 goals, but....they oso used to score 3 to 5 goals in the past!!!!
what happen now??
obviously is that they're lack of quality striker now...(adebayor is not the right one 
... he only can bully those unexperience defender....)look at last nite game.... he hardly hv a chance to touch the ball, ( or jus loose it to the opponent easily ). not even hv a single strike!!!
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right now as arsenal fan, i get use to tis kinda heartache liao.
i think all of us will remain faithful for our team. cos the young guns have came so far tis season. remembered we were written off from the very begining when henry left us?
it's too late to mourn but it will be good experience for Arsenal boys.