Jonathan Tah: 'Little details decided the match' | OneFootball

In a hard-fought and highly intensive top-of-the-table clash in the Champions League league phase, FC Bayern succumbed to their first defeat of the season at Arsenal FC on Wednesday night, losing 3-1 in North London. “Arsenal are very strong opponents. At the end of the day, they had more chances and scored more goals,” summarised Serge Gnabry after the final whistle. “We have to honestly say that Arsenal were better today. We need to resolve that from Saturday. I had the feeling that the boys are already hungry for the next match again,” said head Vincent Kompany, already looking forward. fcbayern.com rounds up the rest of the reaction for you.

Reaction to the match at Arsenal

Vincent Kompany: “Losing is part of football. It actually felt like we were getting better and better in the first half. We didn’t start badly but Arsenal’s set pieces are extremely dangerous – that changed the momentum. Despite that, we regained our own momentum and I had the feeling at half-time that we were well in the game. But we didn’t come out well after the break, didn’t do the simple things as well as we normally do. That’s what decided the game for Arsenal. They’re incredibly good at controlling the momentum of the match, they have good game management. And then when other little things go against you – little refereeing decisions, little fouls – you’re suddenly defending for one and a half, two minutes at a time again. It’s those details that are decisive against opponents like this. I hope we’ll meet them again at some point, though, and then we’ll see how the next phase goes. The Champions League won’t be decided now. But we have to honestly say that Arsenal were better today. We need to resolve that from Saturday. I had the feeling that the boys are already hungry for the next match again.”

Serge Gnabry: “Arsenal are very strong opponents, they’ve won all their Champions League games so far for a reason. At the end of the day, they had more chances and scored more goals, which is why we lost. There was a period when they put us under real pressure with four or five corners. In the second half, not as much came off for us in attack. Sometimes you have to accept it when you lose. We’d won all our Champions League matches up to now, been on a great run. We just have to carry on doing what we’ve done up to now.”

Jonathan Tah: “In the end, the fact we didn’t win is down to details – little moments, especially in the second half, in which the game tipped too far in their direction. Because of that they gained momentum and won the match. I don’t think it has anything to do with intensity. We’re used to playing at this intensity every week, every three days – that’s also our game. It was really the details: the first goal comes from a set piece, for the second we lose the ball in possession in our own half, and the third is a counter after we lose the ball again. It wasn’t just the goals, though – in other moments they were maybe a bit sharper. The crowd also got behind them in those periods, and that’s how the game turned in the other direction.”

Reaction from the Arsenal camp

Mikel Arteta (coach): “I’m extremely proud of the team – of the way we played, and how every individidual performed. We played against the side that has been by far the best team in Europe in recent months in my opinion. We knew how hard it would be, how well coached they are and the solutions they find for everything that you try against them. But I think we were very dominant in a lot of moments and controlled the match. In the end we deserved the win.”

Declan Rice (midfielder): “We have a team who really give everything to win a match – in every context. We played against one of the best teams tonight. We matched them, we beat them. It was an unbelievable night. Every player – from the goalkeeper to the forwards – was excellent. And the win was fully deserved. It was a very intense match. Maybe we had a bit more in the second half. In the first half they probably had a bit more control. We had to adjust to how they play first. They play man-to-man across the whole pitch, they do it every week. We’re not necessarily used to that, but we can play that way. And you saw that in the second half.”

The match report:

Bayern suffer first loss of the season