Gary Breen believes that the soft-touch elements of the late-Arsene Wenger regime still exist at Arsenal under Unai Emery, and that the fans have lost patience in his project.

Emery and his side were subjected to widespread boos after their 2-2 home draw with Southampton on Saturday, increasing the likelihood that Emery will be sacked by the club by the end of the season.

Breen gave an even-handed account of the Emery regime, where it may be lacking in recent commentary.

"Anyone who doesn't have any affiliation with the club will be saying 'It's Arsenal fans again - they wanted Wenger out and now they want Emery out.' But you just have to look at what they have to watch.

"Initially, I thought it was a good appointment for Arsenal and for Emery, given where he was at after Paris St Germain.

"He was making that team accountable for its performances, in that star players who would never get dropped under Wenger, were.

"They looked more tactically-astute in coping with the opposition rather than believing they play their own way and not to worry about them.

"All of that work in the first six months boded well. But that 22-game unbeaten run between August and December was not without its faults.

"The opposition used to open up Arsenal so easily. West Ham and Everton should have been two or three-nil up at half-time. Then Arsenal would show their quality in the second half and win the games."

Emery changes

But Breen believes that the situation has turned to such a degree that Emery may struggle to right the course at the Emirates.

"Southampton [last weekend] had 22 attempts on goal. A couple of weeks before, Wolves had 25.

"You cannot survive in the Premier League when you are affording teams that many chances."

Breen fears that the Southampton match allows the players to make excuses, in a situation that elicits memories of Arsene Wenger's doomed reign.

"What this does is give those weak players a crutch to say 'This manager doesn't know what he's doing.' You'll hear those soundbites coming out of that dressing room now.

"He is a very hard-working, good manager. But he did not rid that side of the Arsene Wenger cotton wool culture."

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