Wenger stressed that Arsenal must now focus on re-establishing themselves domestically.
"We dropped physically in the second half because many players lack competition at that level," he said. "If everybody is fit we have a strong squad. We must now forget the Champions League and get ourselves in decent form in the Championship."
Despite Lukas Podolski, Santi Cazorla, Theo Walcott, Olivier Giroud, Bacary Sagna, Gibbs, Per Mertesacker, Andre Santos and Wilshere all being rested, there was still no shortage of experience in Arsenal's team last night. Nine who started were full internationals, with only Jernade Meade, the 20-year-old left back, making his full first-team debut.
Rosicky began especially brightly and Arsenal quickly created chances. Gervinho, who had moved to the left in order to accommodate Chamakh, was first, shooting narrowly wide.
Gervinho then fed Chamakh who was just denied by a well-timed saving tackle from Vasilis Torosidis. From the follow-up, Oxlade-Chamberlain also had sight of goal but opted to square the ball across a deserted penalty area.
A moment of real quality, though, was to give Arsenal a half-time lead. Gervinho had been at his erratic worst for 38 minutes, but with several defenders committed he slipped an accurate pass across goal, allowing Rosicky to compliment his perfectly timed run with an accurate finish.
It was Rosicky's last action of the night, however, with Wenger sticking to his plan to replace him at the interval and so not risk an injury on what was his first start of the season. It was not quite a straight swap with Arshavin, however, as Oxlade-Chamberlain moved into a central role just behind Chamakh. Arshavin had an immediate chance to extend Arsenal's lead but was just unable to control his header following an accurate cross from Chamakh. Olympiakos had also rested several key players but, backed by fervent home support and helped by a moment of controversy, they rallied strongly.
Paulo Machado had brushed the outside of the post with a header but, ignoring his additional assistant behind the goal, referee Alberto Undiano Mallenco mistakenly pointed for a corner. Wojciech Szczesny was adamant that he had not touched the ball and later said that the additional assistant referee had also told him it should have been a goal-kick.
Arsenal's complaints were then compounded when Giannis Maniatis got in front of Ramsey to equalise from the resulting corner.
"I'm not against the fifth ref but you would at least like them concentrated on their job which was not the case tonight," said Wenger. "Wojciech was far away from the ball. It is difficult to understand. Why does the fifth referee not tell the referee?"
Olympiakos should have taken the lead, with Rafik Djebbour heading wide from just three yards out. Arsenal, though, were wilting and finally succumbed to another deserved defeat when Kostas Mitroglou curled an accurate finish past Szczesny.
"We need a good Christmas present," said Wenger, when asked about the Champions League draw on Dec 20. To end his long wait for a European trophy, this Arsenal squad may also need a minor miracle.
Team details
Olympiacos: Carroll, Diakite, Manolas, Contreras, Torosidis, Paulo Machado, Maniatis, Fejsa (David Fuster 60), Greco, Djebbour (Ibagaza 82),Abdoun (Mitroglou 72).
Subs: Megyeri, Pantelic, Fetfatzidis, Siovas.
Booked: Fejsa.
Goals: Maniatis 65,Mitroglou 73.
Arsenal: Szczesny, Jenkinson, Squillaci, Vermaelen, Meade (Angha 83), Coquelin, Rosicky (Arshavin 46), Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Chamakh, Gervinho.
Subs: Shea, Ansah, Hajrovic, Monteiro, Akpom.
Booked: Coquelin, Szczesny, Squillaci, Chamakh.
Goals: Rosicky 38.
Att: 30,000
Referee: A Mallenco (Spain).
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