Tomas Rosicky believes Arsenal have struggled this season because Arsene Wenger is still searching for the ideal system for his team.
The Gunners have endured a difficult first few months of the campaign, picking up just four wins from 11 Premier League games, and have squandered leads against Anderlecht and Swansea in their last two matches.
Wenger has used various formations in that time, including sacrificing a defensive midfielder for an extra offensive player and employing people such as Alexis Sanchez in a number of different positions on the pitch.
"The coach is trying to find a system that best suits the players, and vice versa," Rosicky was quoted as saying by The Times. "I'm not in this alone -- there are other players in a similar boat. When we do get a chance, it's harder for us to get into our rhythm.
"So far, this season has been disappointing for us. We haven't played well, and when I've played I've not been at the forefront of things."
Despite proving to be an important squad member last season Rosicky has made just one start for Arsenal this term, in the Capital One Cup.
While the midfielder acknowledges that he is now one of the older Arsenal players at 34, he remains - puzzled by the lack of opportunities he has been given by Wenger.
"I'm not sure what's going on," he said. "I understand that I am 34 years old and that it probably plays a role, whether I like it or not. That's without a doubt.
"However, I'm not in physical decline. When I played for the national team [Czech Republic] against Netherlands, I ran 12 kilometres and according to the tests at Arsenal I'm in the top five in terms of speed.
"We [Wenger and I] are on good terms, so I do not really know what it is. It is purely a coach's decision. It's not my decline. My health is fine too. Of course I want to play, but there's not much I can do about it."