Per Mertesacker, a senior and respected figure in the Arsenal squad, has been speaking brutally honest about the Gunners start the season, as well as his own form.

The World Cup winner said: “Everyone knows that it is a difficult start to the season for us, and the confidence is not as we want it,” said Mertesacker. “The character is good and the mentality is good. But football-wise we lack a few things.

“The passing game is not as efficient as last year. We are not at our best, we have to admit that. We have to be honest to ourselves and train harder.

“I think we have to do better with our own possession – to put more pressure on them [the opposition], not to lose so many balls in the middle of the park, and to play more in wide areas. I think it is better to expose them there, instead of playing one-twos through the middle.

“It doesn’t work as much as last season, so we have to work on that.”

Regarding his own start to the 2014/15 season, the former German international said: “For me personally, it is difficult at the moment.

“It was a really long season last year, and to come back from the World Cup and get the motivation back. I am nearly back but you can feel there is something missing at the moment.

“The belief and the mentality is there, with these games the motivation will come back quicker.”

Click below to see Arsenal’s latest signing…