Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp says the Gunners' defensive issues are preventing them from winning the Premier League, but backed Arsene Wenger to deliver more trophies if he stays at the club.
Bergkamp, one of the leading figures in Arsenal's 2003-04 "Invincibles" side, is now the assistant coach at Dutch club Ajax. In an interview with former Arsenal defender Martin Keown for the Daily Mail, he gave his verdict on the current Gunners, who look set to finish the season without silverware as they trail Premier League leaders Leicester by 13 points.
"Arsenal have a really good team and a really, really good squad," Bergkamp said. "They've got tremendous players and they should be able to win the championship, but one of the biggest problems is defence.
"So many times the team have to react to going a goal behind or two goals behind. That happens too much. And at this time of the year you can't drop points. We would always have a dip in November, but their dip has come in the second half of the season. That didn't happen a lot in our time."
Bergkamp also questioned whether the current Arsenal team are dedicated enough to focus fully on the task of winning. Wenger's team have won the FA Cup two years in a row, but haven't captured the Premier League title since finishing that "Invincibles" season.
"In Holland, we say you have to live like a monk," Bergkamp added. "You focus on your job, you go home, you eat, you watch television, you go to bed. You get up, you go to training and you just live for football.
"For some people that's more difficult than for others but there's so much glory at the end. There's a certain buzz that goes through the club and you have to cherish that. Sometimes it doesn't look like this current group has that. But once you've tasted success, then you know how it is.
"If you know how to win games it gets easier. When they won the FA Cup, they were in the flow and able to win it again. Now they need a championship and then with this squad they can stay there for many years."
Arsenal's shortcomings this season have ramped up the pressure on Wenger, with a large section of the fan base calling for him to step down this summer. Some have even suggested that Ajax coach Frank de Boer would be the ideal replacement -- especially if he brings Bergkamp with him as his assistant.
However, Bergkamp praised Wenger's ability to get the best out of his players and said the club would take a massive risk by replacing him.
"He knows his players so well," Bergkamp said. "It's like a puzzle, he's adjusting every player all the time so everything fits together. He's got a picture in his mind how it should be. And he knew when to push the team, when to let go, when to relax.
"I still think he's got that drive and if he gets the opportunity to stay there, he will take it I'm sure. He's still a good manager and you never know what you'll get if you bring a new one in. That's the problem.
"Look what happened at Man United when Sir Alex Ferguson left. You never know what's better. To bring someone new, someone fresh or stick to someone who knows the club. I'm sure [Wenger] is still ambitious to win trophies. As long as you don't lose the connection with the team."