Livid Clichy hits out at teammates’ defending

ARSENAL defender Gael Clichy has hit out his teammates for failing to see off Liverpool in their UEFA Champions League quarter-final.

The Gunners looked to be on the verge of the semi-finals on away goals courtesy of Emmanuel Adebayor’s equaliser to make it 2-2 six minutes from time.

However, Liverpool hit back with Steven Gerrard’s controversial penalty and Ryan Babel’s last-gasp goal sealing a thrilling 4-2 win for Rafa Benitez’s side at Anfield.

Clichy was left fuming by the decisive penalty after Kolo Toure was adjudged to have upended Babel in the box. “We did well to score the first goal and to come back and get the game to 2-2. And at that point we were through. But what happened after that was really disappointing,” the French defender said.

“To concede a goal like this, whether it is a penalty or not a penalty, may be disappointing but it is not unlucky.

“It is unreal to have had a chance like this, to score the equaliser and get to 2-2 and then to concede a goal only a few seconds after kick off. I can’t find the words for it. It is just ridiculous.”

However former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier has backed Arsenal manager’s Arsene Wenger’s claim that Arsenal’s Champions League dreams were ended by bad refereeing decisions. “From a personal point of view I was happy Liverpool won but I also felt for my friend Arsene because over the two legs he deserved at least as much to win as Liverpool. To me it was a clear-cut penalty in the first leg and then one was given against them in the second leg. That’s why he was not happy.”

Meanwhile Adebayor maintains all is not lost for Arsenal this season despite seeing their European dream ended in dramatic circumstances at Anfield.

The Gunners must now regroup for Sunday’s trip to Manchester United following what was a bitterly disappointing finish to a thrilling Champions League quarter-final second leg on Merseyside. With their European hopes extinguished for another year, the Gunners have it all to do to avoid a campaign which promised so much ending without a trophy.

Trailing Barclays Premier League leaders United by six points, Wenger accepts their trip to Old Trafford on Sunday is now an all-or-nothing showdown. Adebayor, though, insists belief is still strong within the squad they can achieve what looks a near impossible task over the final five matches of the season.

“The most important thing now is to stay focused on what we can achieve this season,” declared the Togo striker.

“We are still playing for the title and we still believe we can win something at the end of the season. Sunday will be another big game for us and we will see what we can do.”

And Adebayor is in no doubt that Wenger can lift his side’s flagging spirits ahead of the trip to Old Trafford.

“We have learned a lot of things this year, but the boss has more experience than anyone here,” he added.

“He knows the words he will use so that we can come back on the pitch to be more successful and want it more.”