Wenger not happy

Wenger not happy

Arsene Wenger launched a scathing attack on his Arsenal flops after they blew a three-goal lead in a 3-3 draw against Anderlecht that left them still waiting to book their place in the Champions League last 16.
Wenger's side were on course to qualify for the knockout stages of Europe's elite club competition for the 15th successive season after Mikel Arteta's penalty and fine strikes from Alexis Sanchez and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain put them in complete control by the 58th minute.
But the Gunners' creaky defence was brutally exposed by Anderlecht in a remarkable finale that saw the unheralded Belgians score three times in the last 29 minutes through Anthony vanden Borre's double and Aleksandar Mitrovic's stoppage-time header.
Wenger was furious with the way his players squandered their advantage and he said: "We had a poor defensive performance from the first until the last minute. We never looked comfortable and we got punished.
"There was a bit of bad luck because their first goal was clearly offside but we never looked good enough defensively. Across the pitch we were very poor.
"It was a combination of fatigue and switching off. We dropped off and were always open. We didn't stop the crosses or the long balls.
"It is very disappointing. Maybe subconsciously we underestimated Anderlecht at 3-0.
"In the Champions League you need to be at your best mentally and we weren't today."
The woeful meltdown leaves Arsenal with virtually no chance of finishing top of Group D -- which was Wenger's original target -- and instead they face a fraught fight just to reach the knockout stages.
They hold a five point lead over third placed Anderlecht, but host group leaders Borussia Dortmund on November 26 knowing a defeat against the Germans would send them to Galatasaray needing a result in a notoriously hostile environment.
"We have very little chance of winning the group," said Wenger, whose team are five points behind Dortmund.

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