Wednesday 14 September 2016 09:15, UK
Charlie Nicholas has questioned Arsene Wenger's decision to choose goalkeeper David Ospina ahead of Petr Cech in Arsenal's 1-1 draw at Paris Saint-Germain.
Ospina's first contribution was to pick the ball out of the net as Edinson Cavani gave PSG the lead after just 44 seconds, but the Colombian responded with crucial stops to deny Cavani, Angel Di Maria and Serge Aurier as Arsenal battled back for a vital point.
But despite Ospina's performance, Nicholas, who watched the game for Soccer Special, did not think Wenger should have taken the risk with Ospina's selection.
"The change has been made but to be fair to Ospina he was good all night," the former Arsenal striker told Sky Sports.
"It's just strange. I don't see why you take the risk. It's the hardest game they face in their first game of the competition. Go and lay down a marker.
"PSG are no way as fluid as they have been over the last few years but Arsenal made them look better than they were.
"Arsenal could have ended up winning it but I'm delighted with a draw because Arsenal did not play well at all. They've got away with it tonight but they must liven up and play their best players."
It's just strange. I don't see why you take the risk. It's the hardest game they face in their first game of the competition. Go and lay down a marker.
Wenger seemingly has a policy of picking his second choice goalkeeper for cup competitions, including the Champions League, and last season the decision backfired as Ospina scored an own goal in Arsenal's 3-2 defeat to Olympiakos.
After Ospina's error last season, Wenger went back to Cech for Europe's premier club competition and Nicolas doesn't think Arsenal are a good enough side to constantly switch their goalkeepers about.
"Arsenal are not Barcelona; they're not good enough to say to their goalkeepers, you play this game and you play the other," Nicholas said.
"I don't mind it in the cups. Obviously Wenger thinks far more of Ospina than what I or others have seen and he's in the day-to-day situation.
"I just think sometimes just as things start to settle down he makes a decision that you think is not necessary; he makes life harder than it should be."
