Mikel Arteta lamented the defensive shortcomings of recent weeks as he tried to come to terms with the disappointment of a 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest that confirmed Manchester City would win the title. A blunt Arsenal became the first side in 16 games to fail to score against Forest, but a league they led for a record 248 days was not lost on Saturday. Arsenal, rather, were undone by a run of two wins in eight games that began with throwing away a 2-0 lead away at Liverpool.
“We conceded a lot of goals in those games, 16 goals,” Arteta said. “16 goals – it’s a lot.” Against a rival like City, that is too many. “You have to be exceptional in everything,” he went on. “They [Forest] are not a team that gives you any margins and we have extended those margins too far. Today we gave them a goal and chances for another goal. We can’t put the guilt on someone. We should have been better as a team and in the last few weeks we have fallen short.”
