Five Things Learnt from Arsenal/Olympiakos
We examine Arsenal’s shock defeat at home to Greek side
Arsenal went into last night’s game knowing it was a must-win following their shock loss in Croatia against Dinamo Zagreb during the first game-week, but once again for Arsene Wenger’s men, they fell short and came away with nothing.
Although Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez got themselves on the score-sheet, somehow Arsenal conceded three to the Greek side, who had previously scored just three goals in England over a 50-year period.
The 3-2 defeat leaves Arsenal bottom of the group of zero points and facing a double-header against Bayern Munich.
So what did we take away from the game?
Here are our Five Things.
5) David Ospina Was The Wrong Choice
David Ospina was solid for Arsenal last season when he came in for Wojciech Szczesny, but when you spend £11million on a veteran like Petr Cech, you play him in these big games.
Arsene Wenger fielded Ospina against Zagreb and they lost 2-1, the Colombian played last night, they lost 3-2, with the second goal entirely his fault.
After the game Wenger said Cech had a slight injury, whether we believe that is another thing, but you simply have to play your best XI when in the Champions League. Especially when you lose the opening game-week.
Has Wenger disrespected Zagreb and Olympiakos by playing Ospina over Cech? Maybe, but what he certainly has done is put their Champions League status in jeopardy.
Ospina’s attempt at catching the ball from a corner is laughable for everyone bar Arsenal fans.
4) No Plan B
Arsenal missed Olivier Giroud.
They had no other outlet, no other way of playing.
Once Olympiakos had the lead and sat back, Arsenal basically couldn’t do anything or break them down.
Time and time again they went down the flanks, only to go backwards and into the centre due to no aerial presence in the box with Theo Walcott the lone-striker.
When Giroud is playing, at least Arsenal can mix it up a bit by crossing some balls in, but whilst Walcott is there, that’s a pointless option.
In truth, it was an easy night for the Greek side and Arsenal simply had no ideas.
3) Zero points by Game 5?
Bayern Munich home and away up next for Arsenal….They could actually be on zero points come game-week 5!
Dinamo Zagreb and Olympiakos are the two games the Gunners would have fancied themselves in, but they’ve messed both them up by losing.
Munich are an unstoppable force it seems recently, with Robert Lewandowski scoring for fun.
The Bundesliga champions could really kill off Arsenal in the Champions League once again.
2) Arsene Wenger in the Europa League?
Surely not?!
Arsenal are currently going out of the Champions League and out of Europe altogether, but if they do beat Olympiakos and Zagreb like they were expected to first time around, they could well end up in the Europa League.
It will be Arsene Wenger‘s first time in the competition since it’s been named the Europa League and it will be new territory for the Gunners.
Thursday nights.
1) Waste of a Champions League Spot
Seriously, why do they enter the competition?!
They’ve reached one final almost a decade ago and they then play their reserve team in the group stage?!
Arsenal are simply wasting a Champions League spot these days and they are becoming a joke.
Why work so hard (to finish fourth) and then just play your second-string team in the competition??
Finish fourth, qualify, elimination early, repeat for Arsenal.
No signs of improvement at all.
So there are our Five Things learnt from last night’s game.
What did you take away from the match?
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt