Wenger defends transfer deadline signings

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists his transfer deadline day signings were not a knee jerk reaction to the 8-2 defeat to Man Utd at Old Trafford; despite bringing in 5 players on the last 2 days of the transfer window.

Arsenal signed Yossi Benayoun, Mikel Arteta, Per Mertesacker, Santos and Park Chu-Young all in the last few days of the transfer window.

However Wenger insists that these were all made with plenty of preparation and were not hurried transfer deals: "Some of the transfers were linked with players going out," Wenger said. "Like Santos and Park because I knew that Bendtner would go out and Traore would go out. Some other players were linked with the fact Wilshere and Diaby were 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."