What an awful start to the European Cup for the British Premier League. In the opening leg of the UEFA Champions League group stages, Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City all lost. Only Chelsea took care of business on the first two days.
Arsene Wenger did not take the Gunners 2-1 loss to Dinamo Zagreb well either. He sounded off about the officiating in the post match press conference.
Arsene Wenger told the media:
“We were a bit unlucky tonight. I believe the first goal is offside and after the sending-off is very harsh. We were not at our best, but nor was the referee tonight.”
“The first yellow is Giroud’s fault because he protested, even if it was not a foul against him. But after he should not have responded to the referee.”
“The second yellow card, he is unlucky to touch the guy — he did not see him. It was accidental completely, but it happened. I don’t understand the referee. It has to be on purpose, a foul on purpose. Then the referee should have given many yellows tonight.”
Wenger certainly did not hold back in his critique of the refs, but he stopped short of blaming them for the loss. Wenger owned up to his club’s shortcomings.
“When you don’t win the game you have to look at yourself and think you haven’t got it right. I don’t believe the players who came in had a bad game but it didn’t work, it didn’t work.”
“I have to analyse that well. It is very difficult to give a definite answer straight after the game.”
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is part of the FOX Sports Engage Network. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times,currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye edition.He also appears regularly on numerous talk radio stations all across the country. Catch him Tuesdays on KOZN 1620 the Zone.