Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gundogan bemoaned his side's performance as "too passive" after they crashed to a first Champions League defeat of the season at Arsenal on Wednesday.
Dortmund have shone in Europe despite their struggles in the Bundesliga so far, but came undone at Emirates Stadium after conceding a goal to Yaya Sanogo only 73 seconds into the match.
Alexis Sanchez sealed the Gunners' 2-0 win with a superb second goal after the break, but Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp was left to lament Sanogo's strike, telling his news conference: "It was the worst start you can imagine.
"We weren't decisive enough. If we had played the final pass better at certain moments, we could have troubled Arsenal.
"Arsenal were the deserved winners because we were just not good enough. We can play better than tonight."
Germany international Gundogan told Sky his side had rallied well after the break, adding: "We played well in the second half but we just did not create any chances, and that's why we deservedly lost."
Despite the defeat, Dortmund need only a point from their final home match against Anderlecht to ensure that they win their group.
But German media reports of their performance in London were scathing, with Suddeutsche Zeitung commenting: "Until now, Dortmund's crisis manifested itself only in crashing to position 16 in the Bundesliga -- but now this decline has also been experienced in Europe.
"You need to worry about this team, as fragile as it is these days."
Football magazine kicker wrote: "Another crash-landing: For the first time, Borussia Dortmund were as weak in the Champions League as they have been in the Bundesliga. They were uninspired, weak, too slow and nearly without heart."