Arsenal's Arsene Wenger hopes Olivier Giroud will not be affected by criticism

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is hopeful that Olivier Giroud will not be affected by the criticism that he faced following Wednesday's Champions League defeat to Monaco.

The Frenchman missed numerous chances to score during the Gunners' 3-1 loss to Monaco in the first leg of their last-16 clash at the Emirates.

"Giroud is like everyone else - he's disappointed," Wenger said in today's press conference. "There's nobody to blame individually.

"He had his chances and he missed them, but on the night everything went against us. The fact he missed some chances is only one characteristic of the night.

"I hope [he isn't affected]. He's a strong character, and I personally don't blame him. We lost as a team and he didn't miss the chances on purpose. It can happen."

This weekend, Arsenal will switch their focus to the Premier League when they take on Everton on home turf.