Diarra: Hitting back

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Portsmouth's Lassana Diarra has hit back at Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's claims that he 'panicked' over his decision to leave Emirates Stadium.

Diarra joined Pompey in the January transfer window just four months after he signed for The Gunners from Chelsea.

Wenger recently questioned the midfielder's decision to depart Arsenal for the South Coast, insisting he would have eventually given him a run in the first team had he bided his time.

But France international Diarra has blasted his former boss, accusing him of dwelling on the past.

"I really can't understand why Mr Wenger is choosing to make such a fuss over me again," Diarra said in News of the World.

"Why does he not move on? He speaks about me more than when I was there. It's a very strange one."

Carelessness

Diarra also took a swipe at Mathieu Flamini's departure to Milan, adding: "Perhaps to lose one French international midfielder may be regarded as misfortune. To lose two looks like carelessness.

"Do you really think I would leave a side like Chelsea to join Arsenal if certain promises were not made? I did not panic but wanted to play as promised.

"Portsmouth winning the FA Cup has more than justified my decision to make the move from Arsenal back in January."