Wenger: Diarra was impatient

Arsene Wenger is probably regretting the fact that, after losing Mathieu Flamini, he had to sell Lassana Diarra to Portsmouth. Wenger believes that Diarra was too impatient in his search for first-team football at Arsenal.

"I came to the conclusion that Diarra could not cope with the fact that he was behind the other players here in midfield," said the Gunners boss.

"I thought the best option was to let him go because I already had Denilson, [Abou] Diaby and Gilberto all trying to get into the team as well. It was a congestion.

"I bought Diarra in the summer because I thought Flamini might leave at the end of the season and if he was able to be patient, he would get his chance.

"It turned out he wasn't capable of that. With Euro 2008 in mind, he panicked.

"I did explain when he joined that he might have to be patient, and he acknowledged it, but he couldn't cope with the situation, and also did not want to go on loan anywhere either."