Ray Parlour believes the current Arsenal team lack the desire to be true Premier League title contenders following defeat to Manchester City
Arsene Wenger's side didn't show the fight that former Invincible Parlour would like to see from the Gunners
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RAY PARLOUR says Arsenal lack the self-belief needed to win the Premier League.
The frustrated Gunners capitulated to lose 2-1 at both Everton and Manchester City in the last week.
That double blow has left Arsenal slipping out of the title race, nine points behind soaraway leaders Chelsea in the table.
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Blowing up has been a perennial problem for the north Londoners, who have not won the title since 2004 and have developed a soft under-belly when the going gets tough.
The heat is back on boss Arsene Wenger with their odds lengthening from 4/1 to 10/1 in the space of a week.
But midfield star Parlour, part of that Invincible side, reckons the players must take the responsibility for the back-to-back defeats.
And Parlour echoed Alexis Sanchez's comments of last season when he felt his team-mates do not have the right mentality to run the distance of the title race.
Parlour, 43, said: "Sometimes I look at some of the players and they are lacking in confidence at times.
"They need to believe you can win the league. Believe and be confident in your own ability. Have a winning mentality and never give up. My team believed in ourselves a lot more and we were ruthless.
"You have to have that winning mentality. Arsenal have got better at it. But you have to go out there believing every single game that you are better than the other team - even if sometimes you are not.
"We played the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid and they were probably better sides but we always believed we could get a result.
"If they did beat us and you walked off that pitch and they were better then you hold your hands up sometimes.
"But never walk off the pitch saying I could have done that better or I could have done my team justice.
"Sometimes players these days walk off and say maybe I should have done better. That's the difference between winning, drawing and losing games."
Parlour worked under Wenger for eight years between 1996-2004 and knows the French boss better than most.
And the former England international has predicted what will happen next for the current Arsenal side in a bid to turnaround their fortunes.
Parlour added: "We would have a meeting so the next time they are in for training they will have a sitdown and get feedback.
"What went wrong? Why did we sit off too deep? What happened in midfield?
"Arsene will want the players reaction.
"He will organise and start it and then get feedback. He's go through the goals. He'll ask why didn't we have control?
"He's not a shouter but he gets his point across. It was great. We used to do it on a regular basis. It wasn't always roses when we played. We had ups and downs.
"Even in the unbeaten season we had a period where we were knocked out of the Champions League and FA Cup in the same week.
"We had a meeting to sort out what went wrong. Arsene was very tactical and I'd imagine he's still as meticulous now.
"As a player we had to put it right and I knew exactly what my job was.
"We were in it together. It's not calling people out - it's good criticism. If you can't handle criticism then you shouldn't be a footballer.
"I believe the manager's job is getting the players ready Monday-Friday.
"Once you cross the white line then you are paid a lot of money and it's your responsibility to put in a performance for yourself and the team. The players have to look at themselves.
"It's not always about the manager. He will always take the blame because he's the manager but the players have to look at themselves and say, 'Did we roll our sleeves up enough when it got tough? When it got to the period in the game when City got on top did we win that tackle? Did I go past a player? Did I set that opportunity up?
"Some of them went missing a bit in that game.
"Arsene needs a reaction now. He got one from the Everton game in the first half at City but they seemed to crumble in the second. It's been a terrible week."
Parlour recalled how the passion and desire of his ex-team-mates in training used to set the tone for their success which included three league titles and four FA Cups in a seven-year period at the turn of the century.
He said: "We always used to have an 8 versus 8 on a Friday. It was a manager's nightmare.
“Everyone wanted to win the game. Players would be steaming in, blood and thunder. It was proper.
"No one wanted to lose. He used to say, 'Watch the tackles' or 'No tackling' but if you were 1-0 down with five minutes left then you tried to get back in the game and you may do too much. That's what you wanted. You knew you were never beaten.
"Arsene was magnificent when I was there. I can understand the fans frustrations but Arsene will be the most disappointed out of everyone this week by the poor performances and two defeats. He will be hurt.
"Everyone wants to win the league and it is tough. They finished second last season but look at the table now. Four doesn’t go into six for the Champions League and two will miss out.
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"Not making the top four wouldn't be good enough for their standards. Now they have to get maximum points against West Brom and Palace and make sure they are in the hunt with six games to go.
"They need Chelsea to have a blip. But I'm hoping Arsenal can win the league before Arsene hangs up his coat up and says I'm finished and I've done my bit."
Watch Ray take on the Ladbrokes Festive Feast at www.news.ladbrokes.com and @Ladbrokes