• Premier League

Signings not a knee-jerk reaction - Wenger

ESPN staff
September 9, 2011
Arsene Wenger boosted his squad with five signings in the last week of the transfer window © Getty Images
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Arsene Wenger insists none of his new signings were knee-jerk reactions to Arsenal's heavy defeat at Old Trafford.

In the wake of Arsenal's 8-2 drubbing at the hands of Manchester United, Wenger uncharacteristically brought in five players in the final two days of the transfer window, bringing in Yossi Benayoun on loan from Chelsea and making a successful last-gasp bid for Everton's Mikel Arteta.

But having bolstered his squad on all fronts, with Andre Santos and Per Mertesacker boosting Arsenal's fragile back line and Park Chu-young bringing firepower up front, Wenger insists all the signings were to replace players leaving Emirates Stadium or to provide cover for injuries.

"Some of the transfers were linked with players going out," Wenger said. "Like Santos and Park because I knew that [Nicklas] Bendtner would go out and [Armand] Traore would go out. Some other players were linked with the fact Wilshere and Diaby are out for a long time.

"We are now into a period where we play in the Champions League, Carling Cup and we need a big squad and we were a little big short. I knew as well that Vermaelen needed surgery so we also needed to buy centre back."

While the international break is often an irritation for Premier League bosses, Wenger admitted that it provided a welcome break for players to put the United defeat firmly behind them.

"A little bit yes," Wenger admitted when asked if his players had benefited from the break. "Because players have had their focuses on something different and sometimes that is the best way to get it out of your mind."

While Santos is not yet match-fit having not played since the Copa America, Arteta and new loan signing Benayoun are in line to make their Arsenal debuts against Swansea on Saturday.

"What we want to achieve of course is to make a good team with the players who came in," Wenger said. "The quality is not questionable and we have a good opportunity to show that in the coming games."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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