Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown has questioned Unai Emery’s tactics during the Gunners 3-1 away loss to Rennes in the Europa League on Thursday night.
The Premier League side took an early lead through Alex Iwobi before the tide changed just before the break with Sokratis Papastathopoulos sending off.
Speaking after the match, Keown admitted he was puzzled by Emery’s decisions during the second period including the substitution of striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
“It was a total disappointment,” he said. “Arsenal were ill-disciplined and it’s cost them. There were several decisions for the manager to make and he got them all wrong really.
“There was a real lack of urgency and that ill-discipline has really cost Arsenal tonight.
“I know Emery has got an incredible record in this competition and it’s not over yet but they are going to have to show some real spirit and they really did make it hard for themselves.
“It seemed to me that the decisions Emery made just didn’t work. I don’t know why he took off Aubameyang and tried to play without a striker. As the team with 10 men I thought he would be the man you would want to have on the counter.
“The ill-discipline seems to be creeping into the team and it needs to be sorted. It’s costing them at the moment.”
Arsenal will be looking to overturn the 3-1 loss when the teams meet again in the second leg at the Emirates next Thursday.