Arsenal head coach, Mikel Arteta, has expressed his sadness after the Gunners suffered their first loss after going eighteen (18) games without tasting defeat.
The former Arsenal player said, he is “extremely disappointed” with the way his side were discomfited in the game; the Villans netted the winner through Emi Buendia with the last kick of the clash.
Despite being dejected following the outcome of the game, the Spaniard still took some time to congratulate Unai Emery’s Aston Villa, describing them as a “really good side”, saying, “they are really good at what they do”.
According to arsenal.com, In his post-defeat comments, Arteta said:
On the defeat with the last kick of the match…
“Obviously we are extremely disappointed with the way we lost the game, but first of all I want to congratulate Villa because they are a really good side, and they are really good at what they do.
“We had some difficulties in the first half, especially with some very unusual giveaways that we have given after regaining the ball, which is a really dangerous moment against them.
“But apart from the Watkins situation, which is a foul, I don’t recall anything apart from the goal. The second half, we started really well, much more positive. We generated chances, the last one with the ball across to Declan and we didn’t capitalise on that and they managed to put the ball in the top corner.”
On the impact of the defeat…
“We’ve been in a lot of difficult grounds and today the result could have been different. We’ve been 18 games unbeaten and still we are there, very close to each other.
“Now it’s time to bounce back. They have given me all the right reasons to think that we’re going to continue to perform at the same level, because what the boys tried to do today, again, with the schedule that we had, it was amazing. So, [we] move on.”
On whether Aston Villa are in the title race…
“They are. When you look at where they are, the way they play, they have beaten some big teams, especially at home. Everybody is going to have to play everybody, so at the moment they are where they are and we are there as well.”
On players’ mood after the defeat…
“Everything that they have put in the last two weeks and the results that we got, the performances and to lose it that way emotionally is very touching. You just feel that everything that you put in, it hasn’t been worth it. But it is worth it, because we will learn again from today and it will make us a better team again.”
