Wenger admitted it is a “difficult moment for us”, adding: “In the last two games we took one point out of six and that is very disappointing when you are on such a great run”.
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Francis Coquelin also suffered an injury while Santi Cazorla missed a late penalty to compound a demoralising defeat for Wenger and his charges, while Coquelin’s replacement, Arteta, also stumbled off with a knock.
“I have seen a few penalties, but I don’t really know what happened”, Wenger said at a news conference. “I could feel that instead of pushing on, we became vulnerable”.
Despite Olivier Giroud’s opener mid-way through the first-half, the Gunners were pegged back by a James Morrison strike and a Mikel Arteta own goal.
The Baggies then scored the decisive goal before half-time, with Gunners’ skipper Mikel Arteta bundling the ball into his own net in the 40th minute.
It was only West Brom’s second home league win of the season and first over Arsenal at The Hawthorns in 10 years, and Pulis thought his side warranted victory after failing to earn as many points as he felt they deserved.
The loss of two important players comes as a major blow to an Arsenal side already without the likes of Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Danny Welbeck and Tomas Rosicky.
It was not the result Arsenal wanted ahead of Tuesday’s must-win Champions League tie against Dinamo Zagreb.
28′ – GOAL! West Brom 0-1 Arsenal: Giroud makes the breakthrough with a header from close range following the free-kick by Ozil.
West Brom’s next match comes against West Ham United on Sunday, and if they are able to record back-to-back triumphs they could move into the top-half. “We had chances and a lot of opportunities and we were unlucky as we scored an own goal”.
“There have been games here this year where we’ve been disappointed that we’ve lost”, he said.
Referee Mark Clattenburg called it absolutely right with his double-touch verdict though Baggies fans and players feared he was going to order them to retake it for encroachment.
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West Bromwich Albion beat Arsenal 2-1 in Premier League action at the weekend. “We have to regroup and continue working”, he said.
