Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech has claimed that it is too easy to accuse the team of lacking leadership.
The mentality of Arsene Wenger's team has come under scrutiny numerous times this season, particularly when they crumbled against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
The Gunners were knocked out in the last-16 stage in a humiliating 10-2 aggregate defeat, conceding five goals in both legs.
Cech has attempted to defend his teammates, claiming that there is plenty of behind-the-scenes work that not everyone is privy to.
"It's easy to hide behind saying 'we lack leaders and these guys have it and we don't'. You need to see what's happening behind the scenes and how the team works, how we operate," the London Evening Standard quotes Cech as saying.
"Sometimes you have periods where you might have prepared well but the game starts to go completely wrong. We had a difficult period where the team was losing games it shouldn't have and then you come to a situation where you play under pressure and need to find a way out.
"Sometimes you find a way out quickly, sometimes it takes longer and you suffer more damage. I think this season we've had a spell where we've put ourselves in a very difficult position."
Arsenal are in danger of missing out on a Champions League spot as they currently reside seven points adrift of fourth-placed Manchester City with seven games left to play.
Danielle Joynson
