Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker has revealed his side’s problems since the start of the season, which have seen the north London club slump to only five wins in their opening 14 games, as reported by the Daily Star.
The Gunners managed a late 2-1 win against Belgian side Anderlecht last night, having trailed going into the 89th minute of the encounter.
The victory has put the Gunners into a comfortable position to qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League, having thrashed Galatasaray in the previous match at home.
However, Arsenal have struggled in the Premier League, and Mertesacker has revealed why he thinks that is the case.
“The character is good, the mentality is good, but football-wise, we lack a few things.
“Our passing game is not as efficient as last year.
“We are not at our best. We have to admit that, be honest with ourselves and train harder.”
Mertesacker himself has not been in perfect form since the start of the season, and was culpable for Steve Bruce’s Hull City side taking the lead when they visited the Emirates at the weekend.
While the Gunners ultimately managed a draw in that game, it was still a disappointing result.
