Prior to Arsenal’s devastating loss to Olympiacos in the Champions League, Arsene Wenger’s boys received a surprising vote of confidence for their chances in the Premier League – specifically from a foe they just beat.
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Esteban Cambiasso’s experience combined with the unflagging energy of Pajtim Kasami and Kostas Fortounis provided the midfield platform upon which Olympiacos constructed their outstanding 3-2 victory at Arsenal FC.
However, the 27-year-old was exclusively culpable for dropping a routine corner into his own net for the second, a mistake Cech perhaps wouldn’t have made.
As Sportsmail revealed earlier this month, Wenger has assured Ospina, who was unsettled by Cech’s arrival, ample game-time this season.
Alexis Sanchez equalised in the second half but the Gunners seemed to switch off after the goal and Alfred Finnbogason put the Greek champions back in front less than a minute later. Quite why Cech has yet to play for Arsenal in the Champions League is a mystery, but resting the goalkeeper for the first two group games has spectacularly backfired.
The Greek side won 3-2 at the Emirates Stadium to leave Arsene Wenger’s side staring down the barrel in Group F, having failed to pick up a point after two games.
“A goalkeeper can make a mistake – that doesn’t explain that we lost the game“.
“I do not have to sit here and give you any explanation about every decision I make”, Wenger said. If we are not disciplined and do not chase the ball we have got no chance.
Olympiakos, he noted, had mustered only four shots on target but departed with three goals – as many as they had managed on English soil in the previous 50 years. It is not because of that, that we lost the game.
The goal was hardly against the run of play – Arsenal had looked unsafe, particularly on the counter-attack, but the contest had been an even one until that point and although the deflection was crucial this was not a freak goal in any way.
“You can not select the team by making a poll before the game and getting everyone’s opinion”, Wenger said.
“We gave a lot and had 65 per cent possession, but we feel guilty because we gave easy goals away”.
“Wenger Out” was trending on Twitter at half-time during last night’s match and Wenger said only he is to blame for the result.
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“It took us a while to get into the game because we had a very intensive game on Saturday“. “You know you’re going to have spaces because they don’t want to defend”.
