Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has stated that his side needs to agologies after the suffer defeats to Nottingham forest in the FA cup.
A late strike from Lewis Grabban’s shocked Arsenal as the Gunners crashed out of the FA Cup.
Mikel Arteta made several changes to his team but starters Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli were in the starting lineup.
Speaking with the media after the game the Spaniard stated that he expected the selected players to do more than they did.
“We were not good enough and we have to apologise for it,” Arsenal manager Arteta told ITV.
“I don’t want to use excuses, I expect the team I put out to do better and when you don’t in the cup you are out.
“Today showed we were not capable of winning against Forest away from home and didn’t put in the level to win the game. It’s a collective issue and today we have not done it. What we have done today is nowhere near the level and standards that are required.”
Arteta added in his post-match press conference: “We needed more drive, more hunger to win at any cost in every single action, much more. We were not at our level.
“I’m really disappointed with the performance, first of all. Not with the attitude but how much purpose we have and what determination we showed to change the game when it’s difficult to play against and the way they play.
Lewis Grabban celebrates his winner against Arsenal in the FA Cup
“I have played in games like that for the last 18 years and I know how complicated it is to come here and it’s no surprise the difficulties you are going to face. But when we do that, we have to face it in a different way.
“It is really hurting. It is a competition that is very related to our history and to get out of it is a big bump.”
Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper declared himself “really proud” of his players.
He said: “We came up against a really good team and we had a clear game plan. We wanted to be brave with our pressing and get at them on the counter and that’s how we scored.
“I’m really proud of the boys, pleased with the performance. It’s brilliant to get through and I hope the players now really believe in what we’re doing.
“[Grabban] is the club captain. He’s experienced and we work together in terms of how we use him. Then we brought him on and he scored.”
Source: Skysports
