Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglu had a typically upbeat response to his side’s 1-0 Premier League derby defeat to Arsenal.
Spurs’ problems defending from set pieces proved to be their undoing once again as Gabriel Magalhaes headed home Bukayo Saka’s second-half corner to secure victory for Mikel Arteta.
Victory across north London means three consecutive away wins for Arteta at Spurs and Postecoglu has now failed to beat his opposite number in three meetings.
The game was a real battle, with chances on both sides, but it was Arsenal who took the initiative once again.
Tottenham finished the match with the greater share of possession (64% to 36%), plus 15 shots to seven, and more touches in the opposition box with 29 to 23.
However, the most important statistic was in Arsenal’s favour, and Postecoglu conceded that his team had disconnected at the crucial moment, and Arsenal took full advantage.
“I think it was a close game. We controlled the game and got off to a good start. We didn’t take advantage of the chances and we didn’t manage to convert them,” said BBC Sport.
“We lost focus [for the goal]We have some great players who really attack the ball and we just disconnected for a second.
“That’s the story of our season so far, we’ve played in their half and created chances but we’re lacking a bit of confidence in the final third.”
Tottenham will need to bounce back quickly after a second successive Premier League defeat as they travel to Coventry City in midweek for the Carabao Cup, before hosting Brentford in the Premier League on September 21.
