Newcastle boss John Carver felt his team had kept Arsenal at bay for the most part in their 2-1 loss but said they paid the price for giving away too many free kicks.
Olivier Giroud scored twice in four minutes to give Arsenal a 2-0 lead at the break, diverting home a Danny Welbeck flick-on following a Santi Cazorla free kick before heading home following a corner.
Although Moussa Sissoko reduced the deficit early in the second half, the visitors held on for their sixth consecutive victory in all competitions, but Carver felt his team had come close to taking something from the game.
"Until they scored the first goal I thought we were in the game," he said. "There wasn't a great deal between the sides.
"We're disappointed because we conceded two goals from set-plays -- they haven't opened us up, really, Tim Krul hasn't had a lot to do. But if you keep giving Arsenal free kicks, they'll punish you with the quality they've got and Giroud in the box."
Carver was without the suspended Fabricio Coloccini and, with a host of other defensive injuries, he was forced to reshuffle the team.
He moved right-back Daryl Janmaat into the middle to partner his only fit senior central defender Mike Williamson, and asked midfielders Ryan Taylor and Jack Colback to fill in at right-back and left-back respectively.
"We had two or three players playing in a different position today," Carver said. "I've had to thank them at the end of the game, because it's not always easy."