The Eagles were denied a point in their first home Premier League game of 2023/24 by fine margins, with only a second-half penalty – converted by Martin Ødegaard – the difference in a keenly-fought derby which the visitors ended with 10 men.
Hodgson reflected: “I thought the shape of the team was good. I thought the team discipline was very good too. We worked very, very hard.
“I thought when we had the chance to get in the ascendancy when they went down to 10 men, we took that opportunity and got players forward and got the ball in and around their goal ,and made them clear it as many times as we possibly could.
“You have to give Arsenal credit for their defensive organisation. They got the blocks in when they were necessary. Their goalkeeper was there also to make a few saves from the crosses.
“I don’t know if I could have asked that much more from the players in that situation, or more from the players in that 90 minutes. It was a very well organised performance and disciplined performance. On another day, we wouldn’t have conceded a penalty, and on another day, we could have had an equaliser despite the penalty.”