Arsene Wenger refuses to blame Petr Cech following West Ham debut disaster

Arsenal's 2-0 defeat to West Ham is not the start Arsene Wenger would have wanted from his team

ARSENE WENGER refused to single out veteran goalkeeper Petr Cech for a crucial schoolboy blunder on his Arsenal debut after the Gunners were beaten 2-0 by a West Ham side which included a 16-year-old.

Holding midfielder Reece Oxford became West Ham’s youngest ever league player when he was asked to mark Mesut Ozil from the start of yesterday’s game.

But it was the 33-year-old veteran Cech who was responsible for the crucial mistake that turned the game – failing to collect a 44th minute free-kick by Dimitri Payet allowing Cheikhou Kouyate to turn the ball into the empty net.

Mauro Zarate added a second in the 58th minute against an out of sorts Arsenal side who Wenger insisted were all responsible to getting the season off to the worst possible start.

 

It was a day to forget for Petr Cech making his debut in goal for Arsenal

 

Arsene Wenger blamed a lack of fitness for Arsenal's 2-0 defeat

“Our performance was not convincing,” he moaned. “We were not agile, not quick. Our passing was too slow and we were punished.

“We were a bit nervous and rushed a bit our game. We wanted to be too quick going forward maybe. I don’t think we were too confident.”

But when he was asked specifically about whether he had spoken to Cech after the game, Wenger replied: “I haven’t spoken to him but I can’t see many convincing individual performances today? It’s difficult to see beyond that.

"Our passing was not incisive enough. They defended deep, they gained time. The usual thing you face when you’re at home and you’re down.

 

“And the first goal was a collective lapse. There are many things to say about that. I knew we were in trouble even before the free-kick was taken.

“The concentration maybe was not completely there on the set-piece, the organisation not perfect. We killed ourselves. It’s not only Petr Cech, we have experience along the back-line.”

By contrast, it was a dream Premier League start for Slaven Bilic, after he was criticised for fielding too weak a team in midweek when West Ham crashed out of the Europa League.

“It’s a great result and a great performance,” he said. “To come here first game of the season you have to start well and this is the best proof that were doing something right.

 

“It’s only a start but it’s really a great start.”

The masterstroke was trusting Oxford with such an important role in a 79-minute performance described as “bordering on the ridiculous” by veteran midfielder Graeme Souness.

“He has a presence, he’s mobile and quick, and he can turn and pass the ball, not just square balls,” Bilic added. “He’s also a cool guy. He’s not fazed about playing at the Emirates.

“He’s definitely going to be a big player. There will be ups and downs. We have to manage him, not only on the pitch but also off the pitch. We want him to stay on the ground and progress because he has everything.”