Former Arsenal captain Tony Adams admits he is upset that the Gunners have not won the Premier League title for over a decade and believes boss Arsene Wenger has failed to address defensive weaknesses at the Emirates Stadium.
Adams was one of the most revered defenders in Arsenal’s history and captained the side to four league titles, two of them under Wenger’s management.
A tough tackling defender who was known for his leadership skills, the former England international was an able ally for Wenger in his early days at Arsenal.
However, Arsenal have become a depleted force in the league in the last decade, and while they have continued to be in the top four, the Gunners have failed to win a league title since 2004.
And despite his respect for Wenger, the former defender feels the Arsenal boss has neglected their defence over the years, which has led to a barren run in the league.
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The 48-year-old understands Wenger’s philosophy of playing attacking football, but feel he has overlooked the defensive aspect of his sides, which has, in recent years, given an unbalanced look to Arsenal teams.
Speaking exclusively to Inside Futbol, the former Arsenal captain was asked what his feelings are over the Gunners only having won the league once since he left, and replied: “I’ve felt quite upset about this.
“I’m not going to go into too much detail because they have a fantastic coach and they’re a fantastic club in a magnificent stadium.
"I think Arsenal have struggled to get the balance right in recent years and this is as far as I will go.
“I’m saying he [Wenger] has got a great offensive unit, but I think he is neglecting the defensive side and I think that’s where the problem lies.
“If they strengthen that area I think they could go and win the league, but I think that’s the error of the team.
“He sticks to his principles and he wants his team to be offensive. I think he’s not got the balance right in recent years.”
Wenger has already come in for criticism for failing to add an outfield player to his first team squad this summer and another failure to land a credible title challenge could ramp up the pressure on the Arsenal boss.
