Arsenal 2-3 Olympiacos: Highlights and 5 Talking Points

Arsenal’s Champions League nightmare continued as the Gunners succumbed to a 2-3 defeat against Olympiakos in their crucial Group F clash at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday. Felipe Padro gave Olympiakos the lead in the 33rd minute before Theo Walcott equalised two minutes later. Arsenal, with despairing ineptitude in the final third, seemed to be ending the half on level terms. However, David Ospina’s inexplicable clanger restored the Greek outfit’s lead putting insurmountable pressure on Arsene Wenger to come up with a strong second half showing. Alexis Sanchez came to the rescue in the 65th minute by slotting home from a Walcott cross.But substitute Alfred Finnbogason put Olympiakos in the lead for the third time in the game only a minute later, subsequently sealing the three points and leaving Arsenal winless at the bottom of Group F with the spectre of premature exit looming large.HighlightsHere are the five major talking points.

#1 Needless squad rotation proves costly

Arsene Wenger’s decision to deploy David Ospina in goal for a crucial group stage tie backfired spectacularly as the Colombian-produced a goalkeeping performance even Manuel Almunia would tip his hat in honour. That’s decidedly exaggerated, but it is not far from the truth.

Arsenal’s summer activity started and ended with the acquisition of Petr Cech from cross-town rivals Chelsea. One of the game’s finest goalkeepers, Cech’s addition to the squad was seen as a catalyst for Arsenal to take inspiration from and begin their resurgence both domestically and in Europe. Yet, it seems the Czech international is condemned to the bench for his side’s cup games.

“Goalkeepers don't move, so why rest them?” said Rio Ferdinand on BT Sport.

Ospina’s own goal howler before the break gave Olympiakos the lead for the second time in the game. The Columbian, it appeared, produced a fine rendition of an American Football touchdown as he failed to firmly grasp the ball and, to the agony of fans, dropped it beyond the goal line.

#2 Arsenal\'s defensive inadequacies come to the fore

Arsenal’s defence in Europe is increasingly, and justifiably, drawing parallels with the cliché ‘a calamity waiting to happen’. The lack of communication between Gabriel and Laurent Koscielny was apparent at various stages of the game before the Frenchman limped off with a knock late in the second half.

It could be argued that David Ospina’s howler had nothing on Arsenal’s defence, but the collective positional sense during set-pieces, one of which provided Felipe Padro’s opener, raises some serious questions. The Colombian had all the time in the world to hammer one in, albeit with the help of a wicked deflection off Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

There were defensive errors in Croatia against Dinamo Zagreb too, a game Arsenal lost 2-1, hinting at a recurrent trend the Gunners are setting when coming up against continental sides. Arsenal have kept just two clean sheets in their last 10 games in Europe.

This game against Olympiacos marks the third time Arsenal have conceded 3 goals in three of their last four Champions League games at the Emirates.

#3 Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott provide consolation

If there is any consolation for Arsenal fans, the spectacular form of Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott is bound to give hope for a better future. With Olivier Giroud suspended following his red card against Dinamo Zagreb in Arsenal’s last outing in the Champions League, Walcott led the attack up front.

The 26-year-old has scored 16 goals in his last 20 starts for the club and looks dead certain to continue as a striker for Arsene Wenger, putting further pressure on fellow England forwards Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney who have made seemingly underwhelming starts to their seasons.

Alexis continued where he had left off against Leicester City with a fine display full of industry, tenacity and will. The Chilean’s growing chemistry with Walcott was evident as the two attackers helped each other throughout the game – scoring goals off each other’s assists.

It would probably be ludicrous to compare them with the strike duo of Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry, but for what it’s worth, there could be something special brewing here.

#4 The Champions League needs Goal Line Technology

“Did it completely cross the line?”

There is no conclusive proof that the ball did cross the line when Ospina dropped it. Neither is there any evidence that it did not, for that matter. Putting any debate about the legitimacy of the goal aside for a while, it is about time UEFA introduced Goal Line Technology in the Champions League.

It has become an industry standard in most leagues in Europe, so why can’t it be introduced in the most lucrative club competition in world football? The use of Goal Line Technology is particularly imperative in the Champions League with the teams running the risk of conceding the dreaded away goals in the knockout stages of the competition.

Match referee Bas Nijhuis had to resort to the old & archaic procedures of officiating in a football game by discussing it with his fellow match officials before coming to the conclusion that the ball did cross the line. The poor soul!

#5 Bigger test of character awaits the Gunners

Arsenal lost 2-1 to Dinamo Zagreb and 2-3 to Olympiacos, in their opening two games in Group F, scoring three and conceding five. Their next opponent from the group, Bayern Munich, casually walked past both the teams beating Olympiacos 0-3 and thumping Zagreb 5-0.

The Gunners’ capitulation at the hands of ostensibly inferior clubs in Europe is a damning indictment of the fact that they are no longer among the European elite. Then again, judging by the trend, neither are any other English side.

But Arsenal’s fragility in Europe’s premier cup competition appears to be much more pronounced than the rest of the lot. Years of incompetence at the grand stage has forced upon a pre-conceived notion that the side genuinely lacks the mental strength to progress.

Well, if there has ever been a better time to invalidate those notions, it will have to be done in the two massively crucial back-to-back games against Bayern Munich.