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Arsenal’s away record is embarrassing & success remains a long way off – Keown
The former Gunners defender has seen familiar struggles hold Unai Emery's side back this season, with travel sickness threatening to cost them dear
Arsenal’s award record has become “embarrassing”, says Martin Keown, with ongoing struggles on the road preventing the club from enjoying “real success”.
The Gunners suffered another bout of travel sickness in their most recent outing, with Unai Emery’s side going down 3-0 at Leicester.
An untimely setback has left the north London outfit sweating on a top-four finish, with there just two games remaining in which to clamber out of fifth spot and above neighbours Chelsea.
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Unfortunately for Emery, this is not a new problem for Arsenal, with predecessor Arsene Wenger having endured similar struggles.
Keown believes an inability to rectify problems away from home is holding the Gunners back, telling the Daily Mail: “It no longer matters who Arsenal play away from home. When the Gunners leave the Emirates, their opponents view them as little more than cannon fodder.
“This latest surrender at Leicester was Arsenal's eighth defeat on the road this season. Of their 37 away trips over the past two campaigns they have lost 19, drawn eight and have won just 10.
“That record is embarrassing. At the very least, teams know that if they can dig in against Arsenal and stay in the game for long enough, at some point they will collapse.”
The former Gunners defender added on the issues Emery faces: “Where are the leaders in the current Arsenal team? When Arsenal fall behind on the road now, or go down to 10 men, there does not seem to be any belief that they can get a result.
“There have been plenty of positives in Emery's first season. Arsenal are six points better off than they were this time last year, have been dominant at home and are in the semi-finals of the Europa League.
“It is the away form that remains their Achilles heel. Emery can help his players by settling on a system. He keeps switching between a back three and a back four and that cannot help the side develop any consistency.
“Arsenal's travel sickness is a problem that Emery has inherited but it is his responsibility to fix it. Until he does, it will prevent any real success from returning to this club.”
The Gunners still have two more away games to take in this season.
They are set to be on home soil for the first leg of a Europa League semi-final clash with Valencia and domestic clash with Brighton.
Emery’s side will then head to Spain for a return date with Los Che and to Turf Moor for a meeting with Burnley on the final day of the Premier League season.
