Wenger defends Ospina selection after Olympiacos defeat

Arsene Wenger was quizzed on his goalkeeper
selection following Arsenal's Champions League defeat
to Olympiacos.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has defended his decision to
select David Ospina over Petr Cech in Tuesday's 3-2 defeat to
Olympiacos in the Champions League.

Wenger's decision to select the Colombian for the Group F clash
backfired spectacularly as Ospina dropped the ball over the goal
line from a corner to put Olympiacos 2-1 up.

Theo Walcott had cancelled out Felipe Pardo's opener and, while
Alexis Sanchez levelled after the break, Alfred Finnbogason
struck the winner just a minute after the Chilean's equaliser in
an enthralling contest.

Having suggested a calf injury had kept Cech out pre-match,
Wenger told BT Sport afterwards: "A goalkeeper can make a
mistake but it doesn't explain why we lose.

"That can happen, it happened to Petr Cech already [this
season], you have to accept that."

Wenger claimed that an inability to stay tight at the back
following Sanchez's equaliser was to blame for his side's defeat
- with back-to-back losses making hopes of progression appear
gloomy with consecutive fixtures against Bayern Munich to
come.

"[Qualification] is still possible but it's difficult to swallow losing
a game like that," he added.

"It was a combination of a lack of defensive concentration, good
defending from Olympiacos and also bad luck as well.

"They had four shots on goal and we conceded three, it's
difficult to swallow. I felt it was a typical game where you
dominate but you have to absolutely be focused and not make
the task more difficult.

"At 2-2, we gave them another goal straight away and if we stay
at 2-2 for five minutes more we win the game.

"It took a while to get into the game because we had a very
intense game on Saturday but the second half was the turning
point.

"We put effort in but everything went against us tonight."