Ex-England star gave one-word description of Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal sides he faced

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Arsenal have had disciplinary problems this season.

Mikel Merino’s recent red card at Anfield took Arsenal’s tally to six for the season – the most of any club in the Premier League.

There have been some contentious referee decisions amongst those dismissals, including Declan Rice against Brighton and Myles Lewis-Skelly in the clash with Wolves.

However, it has shown that under Mikel Arteta, the Gunners are not prepared to be bullied and are once again seen as a strong, physical opponent – much like the early days under Arsene Wenger.

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Dennis Wise gives verdict on Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal teams

Dennis Wise played 440 times for Chelsea and clashed with Arsenal on countless occasions throughout his career in the Premier League.

With 21 England caps, the midfielder was also international team mates with the likes of Tony Adams and Martin Keown.

It was an era where tough tackling and the dark arts of football were a little more prominent and Wise has given his verdict on the Gunners.

As per the Daily Mail, Wise stated: “You had your Roy Keanes, Nicky Butts, Patrick Vieiras. I came up against all of them. They had real bite between their teeth. They were real characters, real tough. Tony Adams. Martin Keown.

“That Arsenal team we came up against were a tough group of boys and so were Manchester United at the time. They were tough.”

Arsenal’s disciplinary record must improve next season

Arteta has sent a clear message to Andrea Berta over the need to get recruitment correct at the club over the summer but the Gunners’ lack of firepower up top was not the only reason for their trophy failure.

Arsenal have spent a total of approximately 230 minutes playing with a man less this season – almost two and a half games that has cost them crucial points in the title race.

It is a problem that has to be eradicated next season and Arteta can reduce this number himself with a number of the dismissals down to some questionable decision making in crucial moments of games.

Should the Gunners cut out this problem and keep eleven men on the pitch, the ten plus points it has cost them this campaign could make all the difference to ending their trophy drought.