Wenger: We were not defensive by choice

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Arsene Wenger has hit back at claims that his team were ‘parking the bus’ in their Champions League defeat to Barcelona on Tuesday night.
Arsenal were beaten 3-1 by the Spanish champions, who dominated possesion throughout the match and left the Gunners stuck in their own half.
Wenger has often been critical of defensive strategies being used against Arsenal, but has now been accused of hypocrisy for seemingly employing the same approach on Barcelona.
However, the Frenchman insists he did not plan for his team to be so defensive on the night, and simply admits Barcelona’s passing game kept his players pinned back.
He explained: “I think we had no option, they closed us down so well in the first half that we didn’t manage well to get out.
“It was never our intention to stay in our half, you look at the speed at which we lost the ball.
“If I played two full-backs on each flank in midfield you could say ‘ok, they wanted just to defend’. We played Rosicky, Nasri, Fabregas, Wilshere, Van Persie, and Diaby – not one defensive player.
“How can people think I said to the players ‘just stay in our half and wait’?
“I was absolutely desperate to get in their half and play but we didn’t manage to get out.”
Wenger also laughed off comments that Arsenal were ‘thrashed’ by Barca, as he believes his side were comfortable for much of the game.
“It’s interesting to listen to the analysis of people [saying] we were dominated,” he added. “We don’t deny that – but Barcelona had two shots on goal in the first half, they had a very sterile domination.
“You do not often see Arsenal not having one single shot on goal and of course that was our biggest problem but that would not have happened had we stayed 11 against 11, believe me.
“Overall they [the players] can gain a lot of confidence. The attitude and quality that we have shown in the two games was, for me, outstanding offensively and defensively. So the team can gain a lot of credit and belief as well.”