Kelly Smith: 'Arsene Wenger silence isn't helping Arsenal'

Arsenal Ladies legend Kelly Smith has said that it appears that the club's senior squad have lost the "hunger" to play for Arsene Wenger.

The Gunners have suffered four defeats in five Premier League games at a time where speculation persists over the future of Wenger, with an announcement yet to be made on whether he will remain at the Emirates Stadium next season.

Smith - who now coaches the ladies' development squad - has suggested that the Frenchman's indecision is not helping the club's performances as they try to achieve a place in the top four of the standings at the end of the season.

She told BBC Radio 5 live: "My mind on Wenger has been turned a bit. I was always on the side of supporting him, but seeing the performances the last two or three weeks, with the lack of effort, the disorganisation, it seems to be the players have really lost the passion to play and get up for games. It doesn't seem as if they've got that hunger there anymore.

"I think by him keeping quiet, it's obviously not helping the whole situation. It's quite hard being around the training ground because the tension is running very, very high just with the pure fact no-one knows whether Wenger is going or staying."

A report has suggested that Wenger will reveal his future plans at some point after Sunday's top-flight encounter with Manchester City.