Former Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino has delivered a damming assessment of Arsenal under Unai Emery this season.
The Spanish tactician succeeded Arsene Wenger last summer and has impressed many by ensuring the north London outfit have a chance of returning to the Champions League next season.
They're into the semi-final of the Europa League and just nine days ago looked to be hot favourites to not only finish in the top four but also claim bragging rights in the capital by being the highest placed London team in the table.
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However, their hopes of a top four finish have been dented following three defeats on the spin and Cascarino is of the opinion that the Gunners are weaker now than they were under Wenger.
"Arsenal have not really looked like a top-six team over the course of the season," Cascarino wrote for The Times . "They had that long winning run early in the campaign but even then that was with narrow victories in tight games.
"In the latter stages of his time as manager, Arsene Wenger was accused of having teams with a soft underbelly but this is the softest Arsenal team I’ve seen in a long while — they lack leadership all over the pitch.
"Bernd Leno is a good goalkeeper but he’s not a commanding figure and their defence is so average in my opinion.
"Roy Keane said in the week that Manchester United don’t look like a team made of winners and I would say the same about this Arsenal squad.
"They are a million miles from George Graham’s squad or Wenger’s early years. Unai Emery has a lot of work to do."
Defeat away at Leicester City on Sunday afternoon has left Arsenal two points adrift of Chelsea with two games remaining.
With the visit of Brighton and Hove Albion as well as a trip to Burnley still tome come - sandwiched between two games against Valencia - the Gunners must pick up maximum points and hope the Blues slip-up against either Watford or the Foxes.
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