We showed real spirit and determination

on the performance… It was game of two halves, and a game with different styles in the two halves. In the first half we played some really good football, and in the second half Newcastle worked us hard and got among us and made it tough for us. But even under pressure we were trying to play and overall I thought it was a really good performance. Footballing wise, in commitment and spirit, and not wanting to get beaten - those games make you a footballer. We started at 8am this morning and we have come up here and it is always a hard game in the north and I am delighted with the performance. on the first-half dominance… We created a few opportunities that we could have pinched, and in the second half we had one or two. But in the first half we could have had two goals, yes. on the second-half pressure… It was good to see them battling, the other side of football where you have to dig out results and grind and do your job on the defensive side. Overall I thought they did OK. on Conor Henderson's return… We have had a few [make their comebacks] today. We had Conor, and Thomas Eisfeld playing again and it's nice to see them in the red shirt of Arsenal again. on playing Thomas Eisfeld up front… We tried something a little bit different. We said to him to play up there but maybe also come back and play in midfield so we have four, and attack from wide areas. It was a bit tactically different and it took him a bit of time, but he did ever so well, he played 70 minutes and he came through it fine and that's the main thing. on the lessons from the match… It shows that they have spirit and determination not to get beaten, and that's a big part of being a footballer at the top level. I said to them, 'if you take that on in your career that you are not going to lose, you are going to be a winner, then you will give yourself a chance at some level'.