"It's a first game of the season and we had a physical match on the Wednesday night and I was a little bit worried before that we would not be very sharp, but we started well and were in control and we just couldn't finish them off," he said.

"You have that old story that you feel you probably deserved to be punished in the end - but I am pleased we did not let in a goal.

"When everybody is here, we can create more clear cut chances because today the final ball was not good enough.

"But overall, it has been a good week for us."

The Frenchman insists mounting a sustained assault on the Premier League, and in Europe, are the priority.

"Is a trophy to finish 12 and win the Carling Cup? Not for me," he said.

"You see the quality of a team after 38 games.

"In the Carling Cup or the FA Cup, you play five games in the final and could be drawn against second division teams.

"But you have no quality and are not there at the end of the championship.

"For me, when you're in a big club, the important thing is that you are fighting for the title.

"If you don't win it, of course you are frustrated.