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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=629 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=3><DIV class=mxb><DIV class=sh>We lost our cool, admits Wenger </DIV></DIV></TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top width=416><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=203 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><DIV>
<DIV class=cap>Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger (right) tries to break up the brawl</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was disappointed his side lost their cool in the closing stages of their 2-1 Carling Cup final defeat by Chelsea.
Three players were sent off as the game ended in a mass brawl.
Wenger said: "It suddenly exploded. It was strange as it didn't reflect the quality of the game.
"Suddenly we lost it and they lost it as well and it became a brawl. I'm not sure the referee picked the right ones out but he made a decision."
<DIV class=avinline>Chelsea's Mikel Jon Obi and Arsenal's stand-in skipper Kolo Toure were sent off after initially clashing, while Emmanuel Adebayor was also dismissed for getting involved in the fracas. </DIV>
Wenger and Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho both left the dug-out to try to restore calm among their players.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5>
</TD><TD class=sibStdQuote><DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV id=q1></DIV>We came to win and it was difficult to take but we can be very proud <DIV id=q2></DIV><BR clear=all></DIV></DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV class=mva>Arsene Wenger</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>And Frenchman Wenger added: "I don't think you should ever lose your calm. You should always keep under control.
"Kolo is usually very calm but he was pulled down and the ball was kicked away.
"I felt the referee was not the cause of the incident, of course it was the players, but he was a bit slow to give it.
"Overall we can only look at ourselves and next time not lose our nerves."
But Wenger was full of praise for the way his young side took the game to the Premiership champions before losing to a late Didier Drogba header.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5></TD><TD class=sib606><DIV class=sihf>606: DEBATE </DIV><DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV id=q1></DIV></DIV></DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV class=mva></DIV></DIV><DIV class=ibqlinks><DIV class=arr>Ignore the last 10 minutes of the game, all Arsenal fans should be extremely proud of the lads </DIV><DIV class=arr>
HL</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
He stated: "I'm very proud of the performance of my team.
"For long periods we were the better team but the regrets we have are that we should have put that game beyond Chelsea.
"In the first half we missed the final ball a few times and I feel in the second half the first to score would win the game and it was them.
"They had a bit more experience and Drogba made the difference. We played exceptionally well and showed great quality but you want the team to be very forceful and take advantage of every chance and I felt we didn't do that.
"I believe we were unlucky with some decisions from the referee. Their first goal was offside and Adebayor was clean through and not offside and in a game of that importance you cannot afford that.
"We came to win and it was difficult to take but we can be very proud." </TD>
<DIV class=cap>Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger (right) tries to break up the brawl</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was disappointed his side lost their cool in the closing stages of their 2-1 Carling Cup final defeat by Chelsea. Three players were sent off as the game ended in a mass brawl.
Wenger said: "It suddenly exploded. It was strange as it didn't reflect the quality of the game.
"Suddenly we lost it and they lost it as well and it became a brawl. I'm not sure the referee picked the right ones out but he made a decision."
<DIV class=avinline>Chelsea's Mikel Jon Obi and Arsenal's stand-in skipper Kolo Toure were sent off after initially clashing, while Emmanuel Adebayor was also dismissed for getting involved in the fracas. </DIV>
Wenger and Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho both left the dug-out to try to restore calm among their players.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5>
</TD><TD class=sibStdQuote><DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV id=q1></DIV>We came to win and it was difficult to take but we can be very proud <DIV id=q2></DIV><BR clear=all></DIV></DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV class=mva>Arsene Wenger</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>And Frenchman Wenger added: "I don't think you should ever lose your calm. You should always keep under control. "Kolo is usually very calm but he was pulled down and the ball was kicked away.
"I felt the referee was not the cause of the incident, of course it was the players, but he was a bit slow to give it.
"Overall we can only look at ourselves and next time not lose our nerves."
But Wenger was full of praise for the way his young side took the game to the Premiership champions before losing to a late Didier Drogba header.
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=208 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width=5>
</TD><TD class=sib606><DIV class=sihf>606: DEBATE </DIV><DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV id=q1></DIV></DIV></DIV><DIV class=mva><DIV class=mva></DIV></DIV><DIV class=ibqlinks><DIV class=arr>Ignore the last 10 minutes of the game, all Arsenal fans should be extremely proud of the lads </DIV><DIV class=arr>HL</DIV></DIV></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
He stated: "I'm very proud of the performance of my team.
"For long periods we were the better team but the regrets we have are that we should have put that game beyond Chelsea.
"In the first half we missed the final ball a few times and I feel in the second half the first to score would win the game and it was them.
"They had a bit more experience and Drogba made the difference. We played exceptionally well and showed great quality but you want the team to be very forceful and take advantage of every chance and I felt we didn't do that.
"I believe we were unlucky with some decisions from the referee. Their first goal was offside and Adebayor was clean through and not offside and in a game of that importance you cannot afford that.
"We came to win and it was difficult to take but we can be very proud." </TD>
</DIV><SCRIPT language=JavaScript> </SCRIPT><P class=picGalCaption>Cardiff's Millennium Stadium gradually fills up prior to kick-off but many fans endure frustrating journeys after rail delays</DIV><DIV id=picGalleryNoScript_1 style="DISPLAY: none; VISIBILITY: hidden"><DIV class=galMain><P class=galImg>
</DIV><SCRIPT language=JavaScript> </SCRIPT><P class=picGalCaption>The battle of Arsenal's youth against Chelsea's experience gets underway and sees the younger players start better</DIV><DIV id=picGalleryNoScript_2 style="DISPLAY: none; VISIBILITY: hidden"><DIV class=galMain><P class=galImg>
</DIV><SCRIPT language=JavaScript> </SCRIPT><P class=picGalCaption>The Gunners take a 12th-minute lead when Theo Walcott beats Petr Cech after exchanging passes with Abou Diaby</DIV><DIV id=picGalleryNoScript_3 style="DISPLAY: none; VISIBILITY: hidden"><DIV class=galMain><P class=galImg>
</DIV><SCRIPT language=JavaScript> </SCRIPT><P class=picGalCaption>Chelsea equalise eight minutes later when Michael Ballack finds Didier Drogba who beats the offside trap to score</DIV><DIV id=picGalleryNoScript_4 style="DISPLAY: none; VISIBILITY: hidden"><DIV class=galMain><P class=galImg>
</DIV><SCRIPT language=JavaScript> <!-- if (document.getElementById) { document.getElementById('
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