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“It’s just one of those nights for an Arsenal fan” was what the commentary team had to say and that one line summarised the frustrations of an Arsenal fan as the Gunners succumbed to their second successive loss in the Champions League. The visiting Olympiacos team packed quite a punch to score three past a hapless Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night.
Arsene Wenger’s choice of fielding second choice goalkeeper David Ospina over regular Petr Cech will receive a lot of flak as the Colombian custodian had a forgettable outing, conceding three goals. Olympiakos opened the scoring and regained their lead twice in the match after Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez equalised twice. The Greek team hung onto their lead the third time and won the game of nerves in the final quarter of the match to secure all three points off a fixture which certainly wasn’t one they were expected to win.
MORE: Highlights and 5 Talking Points
Here are the player ratings from the match:
Arsenal
David Ospina - 5/10
The Colombian international had a forgettable game and questions will be raised over his selection ahead of Petr Cech in the first team. His only positive glimpse in the game was when he properly dealt a well taken Fortounis free kick which went straight through the wall. A horrible mess up in the 40th minute saw Arsenal concede a second goal when a Fortounis corner curled sharply inward to momentarily catch Ospina off the line.
Hector Bellerin - 7.5/10
Bellerin played well down the right flank and often made great overlapping runs to feed the ball into the box. He also made a couple of good plays in counter-attacking situations.
Laurent Koscielny - 7/10
Koscielny made a decisive clearance early in the match in the 9th minute and the French international also made a number of decisive interceptions, not allowing the Olympiacos players too much space to move the ball around. A hamstring injury in the 57th minute forced him off the pitch and he was replaced by fellow centre-back Per Mertesacker.
Gabriel Paulista - 6.5/10
Gabriel made many a reckless challenge and a risky two-footed lunge late in the first half earned him a yellow card. He was also caught out by the Olympiacos forwards on more than one instance. However, his physicality helped in the box as he made a couple of decent tackles to win important balls in the box.
Kieran Gibbs - 6.5/10
Gibbs had his hands full with an onrushing Pardo. It wasn’t one of his best days on the pitch as he lost more than one challenge and lost possession in his own half a little too often.
Francis Coquelin - 6/10
The French holding midfielder was back in action after a knee injury had forced him out in the league. In the first half, he made a few great tackles but lost his sheen midway through the game and was substituted in the 60th minute for Aaron Ramsey as Arsenal looked for goals.
Santi Cazorla - 6/10
Cazorla’s playmaking skills weren’t on song as he took too much time and was unable to make incisive passes into the box to feed the strikers. He had a few decent shots on target including a scorcher in the 63rd minute which was fisted away by a diving Roberto.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - 6.5/10
The young Englishman saw a lot of the ball as he flew down the right flank and into the Olympiacos box. But most of his plays lacked the final flourish, including a great opportunity in the first half where he hit the side netting on a counter-attack.
Mesut Ozil - 6/10
Ozil played the playmaker’s role to good effect as he sent in probing passes into the box. He was yellow carded for an unnecessary arm jab at Hernani’s face. He too saw a lot of the ball but failed to find the best pass every time and was often tackled by the more physical Olympiacos midfielders.
Alexis Sanchez - 8/10
Alexis took advantage of the room offered to him and made incisive runs into the Olympiacos box. He followed up his Premier League hat-trick with brilliant positioning and a diving header which gave Arsenal their second goal. He made several goal scoring opportunities too, including the one which Walcott scored off. The Chilean had good control and speed with the ball and was easily Arsenal’s best player on the pitch.
Theo Walcott - 7/10
Walcott lacked a good finish early in the game when many an Arsenal counter attack went begging. He made amends by converting Alexis’s brilliant ball down the left flank and into the box and a superb cross from the right found Alexis’s head for Arsenal’s second goal. Along with Alexis, Walcott created most of the chances the Gunners had throughout the match.
Substitutes
Per Mertesacker - 6/10
The German replaced an injured Laurent Koscielny in the 57th minute and he also had a goal scoring opportunity late in the game when Ozil’s cross floated in towards him. But he couldn’t muster enough power into the header which fell safely into Roberto’s hands.
Aaron Ramsey - 7/10
Ramsey replaced Coquelin in the 60th minute and had an instant impact in the game when his ball in the box split the Olympiacos defence. But both Mertesacker’s and Cazorla’s shots were blocked on the line. He also made a few rash decisions such as shooting from as far away as 35 yards and skying the ball in the process
Joel Campbell - N/A
Replaced Bellerin in the 85th minute. The former Olympiakos man played the last few minutes against his old side but couldn’t add much to the overall outcome of the game
Olympiacos
Roberto Jimenez Gago - 6.5/10
He made a great save diving away to his left to deny Ozil’s curling shot. However, the first goal he conceded was his mistake as the Walcott’s shot ricocheted off him and into the back of the net.
Omar Elabdellaoui - 6/10
Omar had to cope up with the pace and agility of Alexis Sanchez throughout the game and was one of the few Olympiacos players on the pitch who was thoroughly bested. He did make one brilliant headed clearance off the line of a Santi Cazorla rebound shot though.
Alberto Botia - 7/10
A dangerous back pass from Botia almost saw the Greek side concede a goal in the 38th minute as it was intercepted by Walcott. But Botia did make important challenges throughout the game and positioned himself well.
Dimitris Siovas – 7/10
He kept pace with Oxlade-Chamberlain and kept a check on his movements down the flank. He played Walcott on and failed to trap him offside when the first Arsenal goal was scored. However, his physicality posed a lot of trouble for Walcott and his presence did strengthen the back four.
Leandro Salino - 7/10
Leandro did well in dealing with Oxlade-Chamberlain. Also, he did a good job cutting the angles of the Englishman when he had an opportunity to score early in the game.
Esteban Cambiasso - 7.5/10
The Champions League winner helped set up Olympiacos’ third goal with a cheeky chip down the right side of centre field. The former Leicester City man, however, was yellow carded for a handball just outside the box. His experience on the pitch was pivotal as he did a good job of conducting the game for the Greek side.
Pajtim Kasami - 7/10
Along with Cambiasso, Kasami performed well at the heart of things for Olympiacos. He did not let Arsenal enjoy possession for long spells of time and did well in not allowing the Arsenal midfielders to get their passing game going.
Kostas Fortounis - 8/10
A brilliantly taken corner curving goalward forced David Ospina’s error and gave Olympiacos their second goal. His free kicks and corner kicks were almost all well taken and his role in deep centre field allowed Olympiacos to counter-attack pretty quickly.
Seba - 6.5/10
Along with compatriot Salino, Seba controlled the play well along the left flank for Olympiacos. He did not see a lot of the ball though and was substituted off in the 72nd minute
Felipe Pardo - 8/10
His brilliant half-volley strike from a corner gave Olympiacos their first goal of the game via an Oxlade-Chamberlain deflection. He also helped set up Olympiakos’ winner when his cross was met by debutant Finnbogason to tap into the net.
Brown Ideye - 6.5/10
The former West Brom man almost scored the first goal of the game in the 9th minute, however was thwarted by some good defending by Koscielny. He did not see a lot of the ball throughout the rest of the first half and was subbed off after 45 minutes.
Substitutes
Alfred Finnbogason - 7.5/10
The Icelandic striker replaced Ideye at half-time and the youngster scored Olympiacos’ third goal on his Champions League debut. He did make a few good runs into the box and looked good throughout the second half. But he also received a yellow card for an unnecessary and rash tackle on Cazorla.
Hernani - 7/10
He replaced Seba in the 72nd minute and posed a threat on the counter-attack as his pace was a vital asset.
Vouros - N/A
