Wenger frustrated as Gunners European stagefright strikes again

Rosenborg midfielder Frode Johnsen (L) chases Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira during their Champions' League match in Trondheim. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger made his frustration clear after a hesitant display against the Norwegian champions left his side with everything to play for in their Champions' League group.

Arsene Wenger made his frustration clear after a hesitant display against Norwegian champions Rosenborg left Arsenal with everything still to play for in their Champions League group.

A 1-1 draw here on Wednesday night means all four teams in group E retain a chance of qualifying and although they are top with four points, the Gunners scarcely inspired confidence in their ability to navigate a smooth passage to the knockout stages.

Roar Strand's well-worked 52nd-minute strike earned Rosenborg, hopelessly out of their depth in the opening period, their first point in the group after Freddie Ljungberg had given Arsenal a sixth-minute lead.

Wenger can take some consolation from the fact that a little more luck in front of goal would have seen his side run out comfortable winners, but he admitted he was disappointed by the cautious approach they adopted.

"We were punished because we did not do enough once we had the lead and did not go forward enough like we did when it was 1-1," Wenger said.

"We felt we controlled the game and maybe subconsciously we did not need to push up a gear.

"You want to take the points when you can, and we should have had three. That is where we can learn, I feel, that we were a little bit too comfortable at 1-0 maybe."

Wenger denied that he was laying a charge of complacency against his players but after the statement of intent made by a Wayne Rooney-powered Manchester United in their six-goal display on Tuesday night, the Frenchman would undoubtedly have liked to see his side cut loose against the limited Norwegians.

As it was, Arsenal never found second gear against opponents who lacked the creative resources to capitalise on some of the sloppiest passing seen from Wenger's side in memory.

La Liga and Serie A's finest are unlikely to be so forgiving in the later stages of the tournament and life could easily become very complicated for Wenger if Arsenal fail to get something from their next match, away to Panathanaikos.

But the Frenchman insisted Rosenborg deserved credit for their point.

"They had an outstanding, committed performance and played the type of game where if you make one mistake you will be punished because they are very direct."

Rosenborg coach Ola By Rise admitted he was happy with his night's work.

"We played against one of the best teams in Europe and I think we deserved the equaliser. Afterwards they played a lot faster and it is easy to see that they can play football at a very high European level, sometimes world class, so I am happy that we came away from it 1-1."

The Norwegians in the 21,195 crowd were in possession of one of the hottest tickets in the country's football history.

But it was not until a frantic opening of the second half that they were treated to any moments of genuine drama.

Even Arsenal's goal was a scrappy affair. Espen Johnsen palmed away Thierry Henry's low drive only for his defence to make a horrible hash of the resulting corner.

Two Rosenborg defenders had the opportunity to clear Henry's low delivery before Sol Campbell pushed the ball goalwards for Ljungberg to jab it over the line from the edge of the six-yard box.

Arsenal could have been two ahead by the break had Ljungberg opted to shoot rather than cross after surging into the box to receive Henry's delicate feed.

Such profligacy rarely goes unpunished in Europe and so it was to prove when Rosenborg started the second half with the kind of conviction that had been conspicuously absent before the break.

Sole striker, Frode Johnsen, headed narrowly over and it took Ashley Cole's block to prevent Strand's shot from finding the net after Campbell had miscued a volleyed clearance straight to the midfielder.

Having survived those scares, Arsenal conceded the equaliser when Edu lost possession to Strand 40 yards out. The midfielder then advanced into the box, where he met Oyvind Storflor's cutback pass with a side-footed shot high to the left of Jens Lehmann.

Ljungberg, Henry and Edu all spurned chances to restore the lead but Arsenal could scarcely complain about the final outcome on a night that will have been enjoyed by Rooney and co.