- Leicester City beaten by Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday
- Gabriel Martinelli scored the only goal at King Power Stadium
- Brendan Rodgers was frustrated by the first-half performance
- He was more encouraged by elements of the second 45
Falling to a second successive defeat following last weekend’s loss at Manchester United, the Foxes were unable to take anything against Premier League leaders Arsenal, who continue to set the pace at the top of the table.
Aspects of the first half were not good enough, according to Rodgers, who felt his side did not display the type of performance that has been evident in recent games, especially in the previous home fixture against Tottenham Hotspur.
“We stayed in the game right until the very end,” City’s manager said. “With the ball, they kept it really well. From a defensive perspective, we limited them to few opportunities, but in the first half we were too passive, which surprised me.
“Our idea in the last number of weeks has been to be really aggressive in the game. We still had some opportunities but weren’t quick enough or technically fast enough when we had it.
“The second half was better, there was more aggression, which then allowed us to give them more problems through the field, but when it got to the final third, we couldn’t just find that last pass.”
Gabriel Martinelli’s 46th-minute strike proved to be the difference on Filbert Way, with the manner of the goal frustrating Rodgers, coming right after half-time, having kept the Gunners at bay throughout the first half.
“We’re disappointed with the goal we gave away,” the Northern Irishman explained. “We had good control of the ball and we were in a good position to make passes, but we lost it and Martinelli breaks away and scores. That was the defining moment in the game.
“Last week, we played really well at Man Utd and then very quickly we were out of the game. We gave ourselves an opportunity right the way through, but they are top of the league for a reason and I thought they showed that.
“We always wanted to control the space and the pressure. We knew how they are going to play, a technically top team with speed on the sides and can take the ball in tight spaces with one or two touches, so it was going to be the challenge.
“We controlled the space very well. The game was in front of us a lot, it wasn’t in behind us so much. Arsenal were searching and they can move the ball so well and so quickly and can technically see the game.
“But still we were passive in our contact and pressure. In the second half, it was more competitive. It’s why we’re in the position that we’re in – it’s that consistency.
“We’ll go away and analyse what we can be better on, but certainly that aggression is something that needs to be better. It’s about belief. You gain confidence through working hard and that comes from a physicality. We weren’t physical enough.”
Leicester missed James Maddison through illness and the No.10’s creativity was sorely missed in midfield, as the Foxes could only muster limited opportunities in front of goal against a solid Arsenal backline.
The 50-year-old added: “He’s one of the best players in the league and when you don’t have him, it makes a difference, but whether he plays or not, we have to find ways to win games and show more moments of quality.
“We can’t just rely on him to be the catalyst all the time for everything. We have to do the basics much better and retain control of the ball. That then allows you to create. But if you keep giving the ball away, then you’re never going to be up there creating opportunities.”