Bolton boss Gary Megson felt his depleted Bolton side deserved a point from their trip to Arsenal. The Trotters held firm for 84 minutes, only to then see substitute Nicklas Bendtner snatch a late winner.
"We are disappointed not to get something out of the game after the effort which has been put in," he told Sky Sports.
"The work-rate they showed certainly deserved something.
"The circumstances we find ourselves in having to come to the Emirates was absolutely trying and I'm bitterly disappointed as are the players. Not with them, but for them. They couldn't have done much better."
Megson, who has seen his squad decimated this week, could only name four substitutes at The Emirates.
"I think it needs pointing out that we've only got 18 senior pros when everybody is fit, and of those 18 we only had 10 available," he said.
"The young right-back (Chris Basham) has made his debut today and I thought he was fantastic. He went on loan to Rochdale last season and wasn't used.
"We didn't have enough bodies at the football club to put out the full quota of subs - we only had four - and we have our backs to the wall at the moment. But I can't ask any more in terms of effort and honesty."