I intend to convey that the person is putting forward his viewpoints. Does the highlighted portion in the following sentence make sense? I am unsure if it is commonly used. Kindly advise.
- He was exasperated trying to explain his side of the argument.
Is the following a concise alternative or is it limited to convey 'explaining oneself for doing something inappropriate/unexpected'?
- He was exasperated trying to explain himself.