Arsenal's poor recruitment has left them with a "bigger problem" than Unai Emery's future, says former defender Tony Adams.
The Gunners succumbed to a 2-0 defeat at Leicester City to leave them nine points adrift of a top-four spot just 12 games into the season.
Emery has come under scrutiny after just one win in their last seven games in all competitions, with fans and pundits questioning if the Spaniard has taken the club forward since Arsene Wenger's departure.
But Adams, speaking as a pundit for Sky Sports, believes the problem is bigger than Emery - and claims the situation with Mesut Ozil highlights the board's failings.
"We came here expecting a good hiding and we got one. It’s infectious once you’ve got that mentality," he said.
"The recruitment has been poor for a few years now. The manager must be pulling his hair out. I think it’s easy to blame Emery. He’s doing his best with what he’s got. It’s a bigger problem than this coach, it really is.
"He [Ozil] should be the cherry on the cake... but Arsenal haven't got a cake!"
While Adams insists Emery is not wholly to blame for the club's plight but the former captain advised the Spaniard what he needs to change in order to turn around their results.
"I said [they would finish in the] top six at the beginning of the season. It’s no good when you keep changing the defence, there’s no consistency," he added.
“If you haven’t got the technical ability to play out even if you haven’t you can push up to the halfway line and then drop off again and get the ball but you can’t keep turning it over.
“It’s inevitable, if you keep turning it over you’re inviting pressure. It’s very worrying. Just push them out from the back and play in their half for a while."
