He again aimed for the top right corner but this time sent the ball over.Nevertheless, the incident convinced Panathinaikos that they could get back into the game. Soon Loukas Vintra advanced on the right and, encountering no pressure, tried his luck. Papadopoulos failed to reach the ball but was brought down by Ashley Cole “A penalty,” agreed Wenger. Again it came from a free-kick, curled into the area by Basinas and headed on towards Dimitrios Papadopoulos by Cesc Fabregas.

To general surprise ­ even Wenger admitted he did not think it a penalty ­ the referee pointed to the spot. It was technically a penalty but the offence was holding rather than pushing and if penalties were given on such a basis every match would end 6-6, especially in Europe.Henry rolled the penalty home but Arsenal failed to push home their advantage and with Highbury subdued it was not until the second period that the somnolent atmosphere lifted It took another penalty to inject a sense of urgency. Then Bergkamp floated a free-kick into the box and, amid the usual wrestling, Patrick Vieira tumbled after clashing with his marker. True, Dennis Bergkamp had put a shot wide from the edge of the area but Angelos Basinas had gone closer for Panathinaikos, albeit from further out. They expected a physical, defensive approach from the Greeks but, as their coach, Zdenek Scasny, said: “The key was we didn’t play the way Arsenal expected us to play, we did not play in defence.”Passing rather than pressing, Panathinaikos settled quickly. “We are suffering a bit and need to recover but I am confident we will come back, the mental strength and quality of the players is good enough.”Arsenal were also caught out tactically. He finally emerged to put the blame on the team’s physical condition, though it is an axiom within the game that players rarely feel tired when they are winning.”I feel we have had a dip physically,” Wenger said.

This may not seem much to most teams but it is worrying for the champions. After the match Wenger conducted an hour-long inquest with his players and staff. Wenger confirmed Sol Campbell was unlikely to be fit for that match.The draw extended the first team’s winless run (it was the thirds who won at Manchester City in the Football League Cup) to four matches. The Greek champions missed a spot-kick of their own yet still deprived Arsenal of two points after Pascal Cygan deflected a hopeful long pot into his own goal with 15 minutes remaining.Arsenal now travel to the group leaders PSV Eindhoven, on 24 November, needing a victory to retain their destiny in their own hands. Even the gift of a 15th-minute penalty, converted by Thierry Henry, could not help Arsenal introduce some stability into their wobbling Champions’ League campaign.