Arsenal title winner Alan Smith says the players are struggling to understand manager Unai Emery's "instructions".

He wrote for the London Evening Standard: "On the evidence so far, something needs to change. Because as well as Arsenal played going forward in the second half against Tottenham, that midfield offered scant protection to a back four in need of plenty. Every time the visitors sprang forward they looked really dangerous, encouraged by loads of space in the middle ground.

"Maybe it is down to a lack of understanding. I have heard whispers, after all, that some of the players find their manager's instructions confusing, that they do not really know what he wants them to do. If so, that does not bode well. A clarity of purpose is essential.

"My mate and former Gunners team-mate, Paul Merson, did make me laugh when he referred to “Unai Wenger", arguing Arsenal do not look much ­different under the Spaniard than they did during those shapeless latter days under Arsene Wenger. In fairness, Emery's rearguard will probably look a lot different in a month or two, once Hector Bellerin, Rob Holding and new-boy Kieran Tierney become available. You would hope that the unit can grow ­steadily stronger to cope much better on the back foot.

"I thought the studious Emery would have made improvements long before now. For someone who spends untold hours personally cutting up video of the opposition to show his ­players, you would have thought we would have seen a more organised reaction to ­losing the ball."