Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta admitted that the Gunners fully deserved their season-opening loss to Brentford as the manager was left “disappointed” by his team’s start to the new campaign.
The Gunners were outdone by their newly promoted opponents on Friday as Brentford cruised to a 2-0 win.
Despite outshooting and out-possessing the hosts on Friday, Arsenal left with nothing to show for it after struggling to truly test a team that played in the Championship last season.
“I’m disappointed,” Arteta told BT Sport. “We started the season against a good opponent. I don’t think we deserved anything different. They scored from a long throw-in and we didn’t have enough presence in the box.”
Arteta also weighed in on a bit of controversy stemming from Brentford’s second goal.
Brenford scored through a Christian Norgaard header from a long throw-in, one which may have seen Brend Leno fouled in the build-up.
But Arteta wasn’t as frustrated by the no-call as he was by Brenford’s first goal, a finish from Sergi Canos.
“It’s allowed in the Premier League,” he said of the second goal. “He cannot move. I can’t change it now.
“The first goal gave them some hope. We wanted to play better in the second half but we need many more shots on target, then we conceded on a set piece.
“A lot of young boys were doing everything they can. For some of them it was the first experience in the league – that says a lot.”
Important absences
Arteta was given a selection headache on Friday as he was without two of his biggest stars.
Arsenal were missing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, whom Arteta said were “feeling unwell” before the match kicked off.
“I can’t change that,” he said of their absences. “We knew that before the game. I don’t know [if they’ll be available for the next game].
“What I can control and help, I’ll put all my enthusiasm and work into that.”
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