Arsenal Suffer Further Champions League Misery

They managed to do so, when Alexis Sanchez met Walcott’s cross with a firm header on 65 minutes, but Olympiacos went up the other end and retook the lead a minute later.

The Gunners legend was covering the match for the broadcaster last night, and was incredulous with Ospina after the visitors’ second goal.

Arsenal were level within three minutes.

Arsenal hit back nearly instantly, Sanchez slipping Walcott in to slot past butter-fingered goalkeeper Roberto.

Arsenal again had the bulk of the ball, but invention was in short supply.

He was unchallenged when he fumbled the ball direct from Kostas Fortounis’ corner and allowed it to bounce onto the goal line. But concentration at the back ultimately cost them dearly as Olympiacos grabbed what proved to be the victor on 66 minutes. A victor did come, just 59 seconds later, but it was from the boot of Alfred Finnbogason as Olympiakos tore open the Arsenal defence easily.

After going behind, the home side dominated possession, but a combination of a few slow build-up play and their opponents’ resilience and organisation in defence made them a hard proposition to break down.

Arsenal, though, could not find a way back into the tie, and now face an uphill battle to qualify for the knockout stages.

Yet even if Arsenal lose their first four group matches, they could yet take their place in the first knock-out round, provided there are a set of extraordinary results elsewhere in the group. Because we have to win this game. “We were the only team of any substance in Europe who didn’t sign a single outfield player“, he told talkSPORT. He was unusually curt with his answers.

More English despair in the Champions League.

This decision has enraged a large section of the Arsenal support, leading to Morgan criticising Arsene Wenger’s ability.

Piers Morgan has launched a stinging criticism of Arsene Wenger’s decision not to field goalkeeper Petr Cech in Tuesday’s defeat to Olympiacos.

“Ospina played 19 games a year ago and kept 14 clean sheets and last week at Tottenham he had a fantastic game [in the Capital One Cup]”. No keeper is mistake free. It could have happened to Cech as well, that’s part of it.

“It leaves us in a bad position but we are still in it”. “And I know many things that maybe you do not know and that you ignore”.