Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has pinpointed the areas where his team faltered in their recent 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa. Despite a strong first half performance, goals from Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins saw the Gunners unable to reclaim the top spot in the Premier League.

In an interview with Sky Sports, Arteta expressed his disappointment with the contrasting performances of his team. He praised the first half as one of their best against a top team, lamenting the missed opportunities to score more goals. However, he acknowledged the lack of momentum and flow in the second half, leading to the concession of two “very, very poor goals.”

Arteta credited Aston Villa for capitalizing on Arsenal’s mistakes and acknowledged his team’s shortcomings in maintaining possession and executing their game plan. Despite the setback, he commended Villa for securing the points and emphasized the need for his players to regroup and continue chasing leaders Manchester City in the title race.

The defeat serves as a wake-up call for Arsenal as they strive to bounce back and remain competitive in the Premier League. With Arteta at the helm, the team will be looking to learn from their mistakes and improve their performance in future matches.