Arsene Wenger Slammed by Arsenal Legends After Axing Petr Cech for David Ospina

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been heavily criticised by Gunners legends Ian Wright and Charlie Nicholas for picking David Ospina in goal over No. 1 Petr Cech for Tuesday's 3-2 home loss to Olympiakos in the Champions League.

Colombian Ospina was picked ahead of the hugely experienced Cech and was culpable as he dropped the ball over his own line to gift Olympiakos their second goal of the night.

Scott Heppell/Associated Press

Former Arsenal striker Wright believes the manager made a big mistake in benching Cech, per BT Sport (h/t PA, via the Daily Mail): 

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For somebody who's not playing often - and this is a must-win game - how can you put Ospina in goal? You've got to question the manager there. I think that's a big mistake. Why not start with Petr Cech simply because of the experience he's got? Because we have to win this game, Arsenal have to win this game. Normally we're out by the quarter-final, last 16, this time we've got a massive hill to climb (to survive the group stage).

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The north London outfit have lost both of their opening group games and now face back-to-back matches against German giants Bayern Munich, from which they would be lucky to gain a single point.

Arsenal would have expected to pick up six points from their first two group games—indeed Bleacher Report's Sam Tighe predicted an easy win against Olympiakos despite the initial defeat to Dinamo Zagreb:

But following Tuesday's defeat, Arsenal are on the precipice. While Wenger defended his decision to pick Ospina after the match at the Emirates, it was undoubtedly a mistake that cost them a key goal, per BBC Sport's Phil McNulty:

Sky Sports Soccer Saturday pundit Nicholas believes the Gunners will now not qualify from their group and slammed Wenger's decision on Ospina following the embarrassing defeat:

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The manager has to carry the can. He made five changes from the Leicester game and we always talk about momentum. They had some momentum after the [5-2 defeat of Leicester at the] weekend but the way that they lost was criminal. Wenger has to take full responsibility for playing Ospina ahead of Cech. The first goal is a deflection but the second one is a basic corner. He's not under any pressure and all he's got to do is catch and hold it. 

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The second goal was indeed a howler. Ospina cannot be blamed for letting in the deflected first and should not be held responsible for the terrible defending that led to the third.

However, the 27-year-old was solely culpable for dropping a routine corner into his own net for the second, a mistake Cech perhaps wouldn't have made.

Despite Wenger's backing of Ospina, it is unlikely that the Frenchman will start his back-up goalkeeper for Arsenal's next Champions League game at home to Bayern on October 20.

Per Sami Mokbel in the Daily Mail, Wenger's promise to Ospina of game time when Cech arrived on the scene in the summer is what persuaded the Colombia international to stay on at the Emirates.

But with Arsenal's Champions League ambitions hanging by a thread there is no space left for loyalty, and Cech must play against the German champions.