'We were a bit too nervous in the first half'


On the 2-1 victory...
"It is always difficult to win here [at Ewood Park] but I felt that we had a good start, scored a great goal and after that, in my opinion, were a bit too nervous dealing with Blackburn's game. In the second half I felt we were calmer, put the ball on the ground well and controlled the game much better and it was just a question of time. Of course, in the last 15 or 20 minutes you can always be tested and need a bit of luck but we had the right resilience and commitment and as long as you cannot score the third goal you are always under threat with a team like Blackburn."

On why he thinks his side looked nervous in the first half...
"Because we had last year [a 2-1 defeat at Ewood Park] and bad memories here and because we know they play the kind of game that we will not like, so we didn't have enough confidence to deal with that. In the second half we were much better."

On Walcott's performance against Blackburn compared to his performance against Blackpool last week...
"Well last week he was on the ball much more and, of course, much more dominant today. But what you want from a striker is that sometimes you have games where you have less opportunities but you are still dangerous, you are still sharp and [against Blackburn, Walcott] had a clinical finish. You judge a player by the numbers; the goals he scores, the assists when he is a striker and his numbers are already very, very good. It looks like he is more confident and has moved forward."

On Arsenal's first win away to a side managed by Sam Allardyce since 2002...
"For me it is important, more than to beat Sam Allardyce, to beat Blackburn in a difficult away game. I do not make a personal battle of the game. I feel it is important, as I said before the game, that if you have ambition in this league, you have to win at Blackburn. If you fail to win at Blackburn and go to clubs like that and don't win, your ambition will not be respected by the other teams. So it was an important test for us."

On if he stressed to his side the importance of commitment in these games...
"Of course. The players are committed. I believe experience brings you calm in the box, defensively and offensively and that is where we have a little bit more experience, even if on one or two occasions today we were a lit lucky. But who would not be unsettled by the kind of game Blackburn gave us today?"

On if the referee protected the defenders well enough...
"Yes, that is what we demanded. We had one yellow card today, when Givet stopped Walcott on the flank."

On Cesc Fabregas...
"It was his first start. He has shown that he has class but of course he is not completely there yet. I planned to play him for an hour and I left him on for longer. In two weeks he should be ready to play."

On Robin van Persie's injury...
"He twisted his ankle and the first news is 10 days. If there is no bad news tomorrow it should be two weeks maybe."

Arsenal to travel to Tottenham in Carling Cup
Arsenal will travel to Tottenham Hotspur in the Third Round of the Carling Cup.

The draw for the Third Round took place on Saturday lunchtime.

The tie will take place at White Hart Lane during the week commencing September 20.