Arsenal look jaded and low on confidence, admits Steve Bould

Steve Bould admitted Arsenal were well below-par after the Gunners were condemned to their second defeat in five days by Schalke on Wednesday.

Arsène Wenger’s side looked completely devoid of ideas in the final third and only managed to conjure one shot on target against the Bundesliga side at The Emirates, as Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Ibrahim Afellay punished the north Londoners late in the second half to seal a 2-0 win.

Wednesday’s loss comes after the Gunners stuttered to defeat at Norwich City on Saturday – and Bould is at a loss to explain the sudden loss of form.

“We haven’t played anything like we can, I think that’s the big disappointment,” said Bould, who filled in for Wenger on the touchline as the Frenchman served the final game of his three-match touchline ban.

“We haven’t performed today. We lack a bit of confidence, for whatever reason, but it’s a tough competition and they [Schalke] are a good side in all fairness. They beat Dortmund at the weekend and played really well. A 0-0 would have delighted us I think.

“We looked jaded, I don’t know why that is. Coming off the international break we haven’t performed really.

“I don’t know if that’s the reason but we definitely look jaded. With the ball we lack a bit of confidence. [Not creating chances] is not what we want, it’s not what we’re accustomed to.

“We normally create chances and at the moment we’re not, so we have to correct that.”

Arsenal host Queens Park Rangers at The Emirates on Saturday in the Premier League.