Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall took full responsibility for the lacklustre performance at Birmingham City that ended his side’s unbeaten run in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League.
The table-topping Gunners went down 2-0 at St Andrew’s and missed the chance to extend their lead over Chelsea, who are now just four points behind with a game in hand.
The visitors got off to the worst possible start when Libby Smith scored after just three minutes and player of the match Veatriki Sarri sent another flying into the top corner shortly before half-time with the league leaders unable to mount a comeback after the break.
Eidevall said: “I hadn't prepared the players well enough. We didn't play well enough under their pressure or break down their low block. I'm very disappointed.
"It's 100% my responsibility. It's always that way as the head coach.
“We had the players in on January 2, we had a good week of training, you always think you're doing what's right but it's apparent we should have prepared in more detail.”
Despite having had a week to prepare for the game, Eidevall lamented his players’ inability to work together as a team to combat a dogged display from Birmingham, with interim boss Darren Carter recording a first win in charge to take his side off the bottom of the table.
The Swede added: “What we didn’t do today was what we have done well all season: to anticipate the moments and work together as a team.
“They are a direct team and we clearly didn’t defend those situations together as a team and we got very separated as a team.
“Some players running, some players jogging and some players walking to get into positions. Even when we won the ball, we were so spread out.
“We weren’t well positioned for good options and when we were breaking through, we were so slow at getting numbers into the box. We didn’t do those things as a team.
“They did exactly the same against Manchester City and it doesn’t help when we have the start that we do with them scoring.
“We know they are a hard-working team and they’re not an easy team to break down when they are in a medium-low block.”
Eidevall could not fault the support of the travelling Arsenal fans who would have been severely disappointed at what they witnessed in the Midlands.
He suggested his side need to go back to doing the simple things right when they host Reading next Sunday after becoming the first team to lose to Birmingham in over a year while also surrendering their nine-game unbeaten run in the league.
Eidevall explained “The supporters were amazing. Today we weren’t performing well but they still gave us that support, that makes it more frustrating.
“We need to focus on ourselves and we need to accept that we need to do the basics well again."
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