Vivianne Miedema’s first-time finish on the stroke of half-time proved to be the winning goal as the Gunners carved out a 1-0 win at Meadow Park, usurping City at the top of the table in the process.
And Cushing, although pleased with the defensive performance, felt his side were lacking up front.
He said: “I thought we were organised… we know how good they are at switching the play and getting into situation where they can isolate you two v one.
“But I thought we’ve got to be better with the ball and we’ve got to carry more of a threat with the players we’ve got in the team.”
READ: REPORT | Arsenal end City’s unbeaten WSL start
WATCH: The sunshine boys! Post-Villa training for Blues
READ: De Bruyne: We must improve
With the likes of Georgia Stanway and Pauline Bremer still building up to full match fitness, and the absence of the suspended Keira Walsh, City should take credit for how they frustrated a potent Arsenal side throughout the game.
But Cushing still believes his team are capable of showing more.
“I don’t really like using excuses, I know we can win football games and I know we can be better,” he said.
“In the first half we lacked a real threat and when you don’t threaten teams the game is always there for them to take to you.”
One major positive to take was Ellen White’s 30-minute appearance from the bench, her first for City after shaking off a spell on the side-lines.
But while Nick Cushing admits the England international’s return is a welcome boost to the squad, he also insists they cannot rely on her alone to grab the goals.
“We need Ellen back... we’ve rotated the forward line and we haven’t really had a shot on the goal,” the City boss reflected after the game.
“Having Ellen back will hopefully give us more fire power, but we’ve got to get on the training pitch and improve.
“It’s two games now where, as a winning team, we haven’t tested the goalkeeper and if you don’t score goals you can’t win football games.”
