Arsenal fail on the biggest stage yet again

The gunners are on the brink of a fifth successive Champions league exit at the last-16 stage after being beaten 3-1 by Monaco on Wednesday evening.

You can describe it as embarrassing or pathetic,  those words still won't be adequate to describe Arsenal's shallow performance last night as they were thrashed by the boys from Monaco.

Goals from Geoffrey Kondogbia, Dimitar Berbatov and Yannick Ferreira-Carrasco saw Monaco clinched on to a convincing 3-1 win at the Emirates in the first leg of there last-16 Champions league match.

Kondogbia's deflected strike off Per Metersacker gave Monaco the lead, Berbatov made it 2 nil for the visitors via a counter-attack. Oxalade-Chamberlain rescued one for the Gunners but a quick response from Yannick returned the two goals margin for his side.

Arsene Wenger described his side's defensive performance as 'suicidal' after they failed to show their title credentials at the biggest stage of European football. The result leaves the Gunners' Champions League hopes hanging in the balance, with the north London outfit needing to score three times in the second leg to have any chance of progressing to the quarter-finals.

Wenger told Sky Sports: "It was a horrible night but congratulations to Monaco. They fought, defended very well and caught us on the break. 

"We had both aspects wrong. We had the chances we didn't take and we were suicidal defensively. We knew at half-time it was important to keep our nerve. 

"We are very guilty. At 2-1 how can we, with one minute to go, leave open the whole half?

"We controlled the game quite well. With their first shot on goal they scored. Everything went for them tonight. 

"On top of that you see as well why Monaco have done well in the group stage. They're very well organised and physically very strong."

Despite the defeat, the Frenchman refused to rule out his team's chances of reaching the last eight of the competition - a feat they have not managed in the past four seasons.

But Wenger was under no illusions as to the magnitude of the task ahead after a showing that was not of the required standard.

"The task is massive now," he added. "The third goal makes it even more difficult. We'll have a go of course and see what we can do there. 

"It's very, very disappointing but the Champions League is down to performance on the day and when you don't perform at the level that is required for 90 minutes you're punished. 

"We knew before the game they absorb you and get you on the break. What happened? Exactly that."