Arsenal, which has advanced past the first group stage every year since 2001, has now lost both its opening games – and still has two meetings with Group F leader Bayern Munich to come.
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“All we talk about is we qualify and when we are in it we are out by the round of 16”, Wright said on BT Sport Europe. “We know it will be a hard game, how big a team Arsenal are and respect them, but we believe in our own strengths and are ready for a strong game“, said the former Sporting Lisbon coach, who took charge in Athens over the summer.
The Gunners slumped to a 3-2 home defeat against Olympiacos on Tuesday night, when stand-in goalkeeper David Ospina dropped a corner over the line as the Greeks went on to record a first win in England at the 13th attempt.
The loss, combined with the 2-1 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb a fortnight ago, means the Gunners are now rock bottom in Group A and with back-to-back games against Bayern Munich next on the European fixture list, things are looking bleak. Only nine sides have done it in the competition’s history.
“We were very concentrated on the game, very focused”, Silva told reporters.
“The turning point was at 2-2”. They had four shots on goal and scored three goals.
“In the Champions League, especially in the knockout rounds, sometimes one goal or the away goals ruling can decide ties, like with us against Monaco, where that was the case”.
But Olympiakos headed into the interval in front after goalkeeper David Ospina spilled a routine catch just over the line, with the inexplicably benched Petr Cech watching from the sidelines.
The Frenchman grew visibly frustrated during his post-match press conference and refused to be drawn on the atmosphere in his squad’s dressing room. Ospina played 19 games last season, kept 14 clean sheets. “It happened to Petr Cech already this season [against West Ham]”.
‘You are capable to judge what I do and I leave you to that.
But Wenger has refrained from going into detail regarding the decision-making process but he did reveal that Cech was suffering from a slight injury suffered before the Premier League win at Leicester City. “It’s a farce”. It is not because of that, that we lost the game.
“I don’t give you why”.
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When asked if he regretted the call, he bullishly replied: “I honestly don’t want to go into that conversation with you”.
