Former defender Martin Keown insists Mikel Arteta was "outsmarted" by former Arsenal boss Unai Emery following the Gunners' UEFA Europa League exit at the hands of Villarreal on Thursday evening.
The Gunners were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw in the second-leg of their semi-final showdown against the Spanish outfit, meaning they lost the tie 2-1 on aggregate following last week's first-leg at the Estadio de la Ceramica.
On what proved to be a largely uneventful evening in north London, Arsenal did have chances to put the ball in the net in their quest to secure the goal they desperately craved, but their efforts were to no avail.
Striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who didn't start the first-leg in Spain last week, had the best chance of the contest when his close-range header hit the inside of the post after he rose highest to connect with Hector Bellerin's cross.
In the end, though, Arsenal were unable to find a way through, forcing former Gunners star Keown to deliver a scathing assessment following the full time whistle.
The former centre-back slammed the way Arsenal went about their business, as well as pinpointing just how Emery got the better of his successor.
"I think it was just four (shots on target) in both ties," Keown told BT Sport. "Villarreal controlled the tactics, Emery I thought was too smart for Arteta.
"Hugely disappointing, they were nervous, tentative, the performance wasn’t there and we shouldn’t be surprised, when we look at the Premier League position, ninth in the table, 19 goals scored here from 17 home matches.
"It’s been a roller coaster season and inconsistency is rife through the group.
"I think the manager comes under enormous pressure. You start to look at the wisdom of a young manager coming here to take a huge job, a massive job at this football club. His inexperience, maybe, has cost him."
Arsenal's Europa League exit means that they face an almighty challenge over their remaining four Premier League fixtures just to seal a spot in Europe next season, with their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League now dead and buried following their Europa League departure.
As well as that, Arteta will be feeling enormous pressure weighing in his shoulders, as this was an opportunity missed.
Assessing Arteta's future, Keown continued: "He’s still here as manager, we’ll have to wait and see what happens on that.
"It seemed to me, though, that this was the rescue package tonight and it didn’t arrive, the team didn’t turn up, whether it was the motivation, the tactics - he was outsmarted by the previous manager which is also a bit of an embarrassment.
"Both games, the false nine and today when we changed our midfield completely and it looked like it was brand new to us, it didn’t look like we had the experience to adapt, to change. We looked lost.
"They engaged us high up the pitch, we couldn’t get out, we looked a bit nervy, and it allowed them to play and be comfortable. That’s the thing, we haven’t really laid a glove on them, we haven’t gone down fighting.
"If this stadium was full, they wouldn’t be allowed to get away with that.
"They almost seemed prepared to let the game glow away, I think it does come from the manager, he gives the tactics at the start, it’s the base for the players to play from."
