Arsenal’s Arteta rues missed opportunity after FA Cup exit

SOUTHAMPTON: Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta could not hide his disappointment after his side were dumped out of the FA Cup by Championship side Southampton on Saturday, suggesting the ​team’s poor defending was the major contributing factor.

The 2-1 quarter-final defeat follows on from ‌the League Cup final loss to Manchester City last time out as Arsenal’s ‘quadruple’ hopes this season have suddenly been downgraded to a ‘double’ as they now chase Premier League and Champions League honours.

“The result and especially ​the way we conceded the two goals (were disappointing),” Arteta told the BBC. “We had so ​much dominance in and around the box. We conceded the first goal in ⁠a very unusual way for us, the second one from direct play as well.

“We ​had two massive chances and needed to capitalise on that. If you make the defending errors ​we made today, it’s very difficult to be in the semi-final.”

Arsenal were without several first team regulars for a match played in driving wind and rain, but Arteta refused to blame either of those factors and ​was not surprised by the test Southampton gave them.

“They are a very good side on ​a very good run and you have to congratulate them,” he said. “You have to adapt to the wind, ‌the ⁠injuries. You have to adapt to difficult situations in the season. Now we have to show what we are made of.

“That (Arsenal) team had very good moments. They should have capitalised and be going to Wembley, and we haven’t done it.”

Southampton manager Tonda Eckert is now unbeaten in ​15 matches in all ​competitions with the south ⁠coast club, but is keeping his feet firmly on the ground.

“We put on a good shift today. It was a challenge, we knew ​it was going to be a tough game. The second half always ​has the ⁠chance to shift and we reacted quite well,” he said.

“You always need to find a balance, it’s not going direct for the sake of going direct. You need spells with shorter solutions and ⁠we ​had a good mix today.

“Belief is always there, it’s ​not been a problem. The reality is that the game is close. It’s going to be nice to celebrate today ​but we open up Wrexham and Championship football tomorrow.”