Mikel Arteta's tactics are 'so negative' as Arsenal have 'no purpose' in their attacking play, talkSPORT told

Tony Cascarino says he has been surprised by Mikel Arteta's 'negative' tactics as Arsenal boss.

The Spaniard is struggling in his first full season as a manager with the Gunners languishing in 10th place in the Premier League.

Arsenal's latest setback came in the Europa League on Thursday night with Slavia Prague grabbing a 93rd-minute equaliser in their quarter-final first leg clash.

And former Chelsea striker Cascarino has slammed Arsenal's approach in games, with newly-promoted Leeds ahead of them in the table.

Speaking ahead of Leeds' shock 2-1 victory at Manchester City, Cascarino told talkSPORT: "I never imagined Arteta's team would be so negative.

"Watching them against Slavia Prague, it could have been all so good for them.

"Well, this season they've scored 40 goals in 30 Premier League games. That's a really low return.

"They're the lowest scorers in the top 10. They've got the same points as Leeds. They're not even close to resembling what Leeds are like as a playing style.

"Leeds have scored more than them and Leeds have more intent and they really try to produce openings with purpose. Arsenal just sit off teams."

Cascarino insists Arteta must take responsibility for Arsenal's poor domestic campaign.

He added: "You've got a £50million striker in Alexandre Lacazette and a striker you're paying £300,000-a-week to keep in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

"You've got one of the [most] promising youngsters in football in Bukayo Saka on the right wing.

"You've got Nicolas Pepe, who cost £70m. You've got Emile Smith Rowe, who looks like a great talent. You've paid a lot of money for Thomas Partey. I'm just like, 'wow'.

"That's the surprise for me from Arteta - he's won a trophy already. It was a real high.

"There was a purpose about their play against Man City and Chelsea to win the FA Cup [last season]. That's gone.

"Now they're playing like a team that are worried about losing games. Arteta has to take responsibility for that."

In his column for the Telegraph, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher said Arsenal's senior players were at risk of leaving a 'negative legacy' in north London.

He wrote: "They are a malignant influence who will contaminate the training ground and may leave a negative legacy for the generation which follows.

"That's arguably the biggest, most recurring problem Arteta is trying to fix right now.

"What was the club's strength at the turn of the millennium is a serious weakness in 2021.

"That's why patience has run out amongst the club's fanbase and they would prefer to see Arteta build around his exciting youngsters.

"That perspective is understandable and Arteta may have no option but to go down that route in the short-term, but it is as damning on the club's established stars as it is as a compliment to the young talent.

"Through the latter years of Arsene Wenger, into the reign of Unai Emery and now Arteta, there has been a massive erosion of trust in those who are supposed to be leading by example."