Arsenal must respond to derby defeat

 
3 October 2012

Arsene Wenger has urged his side to bounce back from defeat against Chelsea and take control of Champions League Group B with victory over Olympiakos tonight.

The Gunners suffered their first loss of the campaign last weekend as the European champions left Emirates Stadium with a 2-1 win and Wenger is demanding an improvement this evening.

He said: “It is about how we respond. I am impressed by the mentality of my team, but the mentality is also about how you respond to disappointment. I am confident we will, but that is what we want to show.

“The Champions League is simple, you need one away win and three home wins. We have done the first part of the job, now the second part is to be strong at home. It is a big advantage [to have an away win], but only if you are efficient at home. That is what is at stake for us.”

Olivier Giroud missed the latest in a series of good chances against Chelsea and appears to be suffering from a crisis of confidence with just one goal — against Coventry in the League Cup — to his name this term.

Wenger admitted: “He is upset. I told him not to worry but you say what you want. A striker who doesn’t score, doesn’t really listen to you. They run it through their minds over and over again.

“He still in what I consider an adaptation period because it is a different team, different way of playing and different football.”

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