Arsenal defender Johan Djourou believes the Gunners were “a lot better” than Manchester City in mid-week and deserved to qualify.

Speaking to Arsenal Player ahead of tomorrow’s game against Wigan Athletic, the Switzerland International explained that the players were punished for not finding the winning goal adding that although disappointed, everyone was proud of the performance as they showed character and played a very good game.

Asked if the Carling Cup was Arsenal’s best shot at silverware, the centre-back replied by saying that the English Premier League and the Champions League as well as the F.A. Cup are also realistic targets and how the players will fight until the end.

And on his new role in the defensive department, Djourou concluded by saying that he is feeling good and improving as the game against Fulham showed adding that there’s a lot to learn from this role and how his general game will definitely improve.

On Friday, the 24-year old said:

I think we were a lot better than [Manchester City], we could have won the game but those kind of things happen sometimes in football.

When you don’t manage to kill the game before, you often get caught in the other way.

So in a way we can be proud of what we’ve done because some were expecting Man. City to be all over us and stuff like this.

But it wasn’t the case, they had a strong team out as well, we were more, let’s say, a second team but we showed a lot of character and played well.

[We lost our best chance of a trophy?] I don’t agree at all, we’re still in the Champions League, already qualified, the F.A. Cup to come and there’s still a long way to go in the League.

People write us off but as an Arsenal player and I know my team-mates as well, I’m still fighting for it and everything is possible as there’s still a long way to go.

[My role at right-back?] I feel good, I think I did well against Fulham, my best performance and against Man. City as well.

For me, firstly I want to play in the centre but the most important thing is to play, I love the game so much that it doesn’t matter where I play.

I was talking to some friends recently and I told them that playing at right-back would help me when I go back into the centre because you have to do so much more on the wing – positioning-wise and going forward as well.

It takes more energy physically than in the centre where it is settled and that will help improve my game.

I’m not scared of getting forward [on the right], it’s something I like to do. I have the ability to do it and playing on the right gives me more of an opportunity than if I was playing in the centre.