Arsenal missed the chance to close the gap on the top six and qualify for the Europa League through the Premier League after their 1-0 loss to Aston Villa.
The Gunners struggled in the game against an opponent that is fighting for their lives in the Premier League.
While Mikel Arteta’s team had the bulk of the possession, they struggled to create any meaningful chances and the Gunners ended the game with no shots on target.
It was a terrible performance and one that most fans didn’t expect after their back-to-back wins over Liverpool and Manchester City.
After the game, Arteta praised Villa for their win before claiming that his players probably lacked “freshness” following a week that they played two tough games.
He added that they had their chances in the game. Unfortunately, they couldn’t make them count.
Arteta, speaking to Sky Sports via BBC said: “Villa gave absolutely everything and perhaps we lacked a little bit of freshness.
“Congratulations to Villa because they were put under a lot of pressure and they managed to win the game. We were in some really good positions but we didn’t manage to deliver the ball.
“Emotionally and physically it’s been a very demanding week but I saw a team who wanted to fight until the end. I’m not disappointed about the attitude – I know where we are in certain areas and where we need to improve more. We will get that.”
Arteta needs to avoid looking for excuses, half the team was fresh and simply did not show up, Villa is in the relegation zone for a reason, they are poor, they have also been playing regularly and every single one of their games is intense because they are fighting to avoid relegation.
