Arsenal captain Laurent Koscielny admits team has lost confidence

Laurent Koscielny, captain of Arsenal, admitted that his team "lost confidence in the last few games" and accepted that they will not finish in the top four of the Premier League, the positions that grant access to the next edition of the Champions League.

The North London team lost 2-1 against newly promoted Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, marking their eighth defeat in the last 13 matches.

With nine matches remaining in the 2017/2018 Premier League, the 'Gunners' are in sixth position in the table with 45 points, eight points behind fifth-placed Chelsea and 13 points behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

"It's going to be very, very difficult to finish in the top four. We are going through a bad streak and we haven't achieved the results we wanted. We have lost some confidence and we haven't performed well on the pitch. Now we have to make a greater effort and do better with the ball," said French Koscielny.

"We have to stick together and fight together. We are in a crucial moment and we know that, although it's difficult, we have to keep our heads down and work daily," continued the captain, in statements reported today by the British chain Sky Sports.

"It's important to start winning to feel confident and free on the field. We have to be together, both players and coaching staff and fans, and know that we are all in this together," added the French defender.

Mathematically, the team coached by the questioned Arsene Wenger could still reach Champions League positions through their classification in the Premier League, but it seems like a herculean task.

The easiest path, in theory, is to win the Europa League - the same path taken by Manchester United last year - the competition in which they are still in the running and will face another fallen giant, Milan, in the round of 16 (March 8 and March 15).