Former Manchester United centre-back Rio Ferdinand has criticised Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger’s decision to leave out Theo Walcott from the starting XI in the Champions League match against Croatian football club Dinamo Zagreb.
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“We could have been two or three nil up in the first 20 minutes”.
“Only the day after the game, I realised what we had done”.
He said: “After this we are ready for anything which might come, but are also aware of the strength of the group and can not fall into euphoria”.
“We’ve had setbacks before and we’ve managed to bounce back from them“.
Wenger however, refused to criticise the centre forward, preferring instead to train his guns on the referee. “Then the referee should have given many yellows”. It has to be on objective, a foul on goal. We were very unlucky. “We had a lot of the ball and, as well, we had early chances”.
Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Domagoj Antolic has revealed the secret behind his side’s extraordinary win over Arsenal in the Champions League – unwavering belief that the Gunners were not a superior force.
“When you don’t win the game you have to look at yourself and think you haven’t got it right”, said Wenger, whose side play Chelsea this coming Saturday.
Gunners legend Ian Wright added: “I would’ve started Walcott just because he played against Stoke, scored a very good goal. The referee should have given several yellows tonight based on that”.
The Croats, who have been undefeated at home for more than a year, consolidated their fortress further by winning their first game in Europe’s elite competition after 16 years- their last victory came in 1999 over Sturm Graz.
“I have to analyse that well”.
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However, it was a considerably less comfortable night for Arsenal, as they got their campaign off to the worst possible start with a 2-1 defeat in Croatia. I do believe that he’s a competitor and there’s a part of him that wants to beat them to show Chelsea that maybe there’s still a little bit left in the tank.
