Arsenal: Arsene Wenger admits nervousness following their 2-1 win over Queens Park Rangers

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admits that his side were nervous during their 2-1 win over Queens Park Rangers on Wednesday night.

But the manager believes that his team were much better in the second half and even suggested that the substitution of QPR midfielder Sandro played an important role in the Gunners getting back their passing rhythm, that helped them come away with three points.

After a mediocre first-half Wenger's side came out much stronger after the break and controlled possession over the relegation battlers, and it was in-form striker Olivier Giroud, who gave Arsenal the deserved lead after some good work on the wings by Alexis Sanchez and Kieran Gibbs. The Chilean then stepped up and scored the winner to keep the Gunners in third place a point above Manchester United, who are on fourth.

"We were nervous. I felt that we were nervous and they put a shift in the first half physically. They paid for that certainly in the second half," Wenger said, as quoted on Arsenal's official site.

"They stopped us from playing all over the pitch. Sandro played a big part in that and he had to come off after an hour - maybe it was easier for us to put the ball down and play after that," the Gunners boss admitted.

"I felt the first 25 minutes were very physical and they stopped us from playing. They had a direct game and for us it was important to put the ball on the ground and get good passes together and not only fight, but fight and play."

However, QPR did pull a goal back with eight minutes remaining through Charlie Austin, who was threatening all night, to make it a nervy finish. But the north London club held on to make it their fourth consecutive win.

"In the second half we did that much better. We did fight and play and we always looked in control in the second half. They came back to 2-1 and then you never know, but it looked like we had a good game and kept them in the game at 2-0. We had a few more chances," Wenger concluded.