Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack has accused Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger of making excuses for his side's 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge at the weekend.

Wenger damned the Blues with faint praise by calling them 'efficient' after their success, a description which cut little ice with Ballack.

He responded by stating:"I think he always says this when he loses. When he loses he always finds an excuse.

"But football is not possession on the ball or playing nice passes. Good football is winning games and that's what we do when we play against them. We deserved the win because we played very effectively.

"It was how we wanted to play before the game. It was our strategy. Maybe in the second half we concentrated a bit too much on defending, but if you're 2-0 up you can do this.

"For me good football is a mix of winning, successful football, mental strength, good football technically and also physically. I think we have a good mix in the team and we have done this all season.

"If you get your tactics right I think you can beat them. That's what we did.

"We have a lot of big-game players and big characters at Chelsea, That is why we are a good team.

"Everybody fights for everybody, there is good spirit and good experience in the group, we've had a few years together and there is a lot of personal quality among the players."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email