Arsenal's Greek experiment ends in exit for hosts Olympiakos

This was no tragedy for Arsenal, more black comedy, as defensive blunders served to blot their Champions League Group F record. Yet the most notable damage was that visited upon André Santos's right ankle, with Arsène Wenger admitting that the left-back faced "a while" on the sidelines.

With progress to the last 16 as group winners already assured, the manager made sweeping changes and there was frustration to lose one of the precious few regulars that played. Santos suffered the sprain after making a clearance early in the second half and he headed for the flight back to London with his foot in a protective boot. Wenger also lost Lukasz Fabianski but the goalkeeper, who departed on a stretcher in the 25th minute after a collision with Rafik Djebbour, appears to have escaped with a deep cut to his left knee.

"Santos suffered a bad ankle injury," Wenger said. "He looks like he will be out for a while. We have [Kieran] Gibbs [the other established left-back] coming back in two to three weeks from his injury. Hopefully, Santos will not be too long but, for Saturday against Everton, he looks to be short. We have as well Thomas Vermaelen who can play in the position."

Wenger had hoped for a positive result to maintain momentum and he saw spirit, belatedly, from his team but the damage had been done by dreadful concessions. Vito Mannone, the substitute goalkeeper, will want to forget his error for David Fuster's goal but there was also an ugliness from his team's point of view about the Olympiakos opener.

Yossi Benayoun's wonderfully executed strike hinted at an unlikely revival and, with Olympiakos rather abruptly wracked by doubt, Arsenal almost snatched an equaliser; Balazs Megyeri denying the substitute Tomas Rosicky in a one-on-one. The Greek champions closed out the victory, François Modesto adding a late header, but the drama in Dortmund carried a bitter sting, Marseille's comeback victory pressing Olympiakos into the Europa League. This pulsating arena was stunned into disbelief at the death.

Wenger admitted that his team had been "insecure defensively" and the opening goal felt horrible to him. Fuster's pass should not have got beyond Sébastien Squillaci but he got into a tangle with Johan Djourou and Djebbour was in. He kept his cool to round Fabianski. It is a sad truth that when Squillaci plays, Arsenal look vulnerable.

There was further hilarity about Arsenal's defending for the second and this time, the replacement goalkeeper Mannone, who last played on loan at Hull City in April, was the fall guy. Having raced out to head clear under pressure from Kevin Mirallas, he lost his bearings and his composure when Fuster shot back at goal. Running back, Mannone tried to clear with his feet, even though he was inside his area, only to tie himself in a knot and miss his kick. The ball rolled almost apologetically into the net.

Arsenal had first-half chances through Andrey Arshavin, Emmanuel Frimpong and Benayoun but they came to feel under seige. Benayoun's rising drive from Marouane Chamakh's lay-off came against the run of play and it provoked jitters in the home team before the chaotic closing stages. Olympiakos could exhale when Olof Mellberg's header came back off the post and Modesto turned home but the news from Germany killed the mood.

Source: David Hytner, The Guardian on 6 Dec 11