DAVID SEAMAN fears Arsenal lack the dressing-room leaders to turn their fortunes around.
Boss Arsene Wenger has come under fire from fans for missing out on the Champions League — and partly blamed uncertainty over his own future.
Supporters also turned on majority shareholder Stan Kroenke during a final-day win over Everton.
But the American yesterday insisted his shares “are not, and have never been, for sale” despite a £1billion bid from Alisher Usmanov.
And Gunners legend Seaman reckons ex-skipper Tony Adams was spot-on when he claimed none of Wenger’s current side have the bottle to challenge him in the way their team used to.
Seaman, who won three titles and four FA Cups with the Gunners, said: “I understand totally what Tony says. That used to happen.
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“Even down to whether we would wear long or short sleeves for a game. The captain decided. That was it — you went with it.
“But I don’t know if that happens now, or what is going on in the dressing room.
“It would help to have some leadership.
“Straight away at Chelsea you see John Terry and the spine of a team. With Arsenal, it is different.
“They don’t have a strong spine, like a quality keeper, a dominant centre-half, midfielder and striker. With Chelsea, you have Courtois, then Terry or Cahill, even Luiz.
“As for midfielders, there are loads of them and then Costa. There’s a lot of strength.
“Roman Abramovich has spent money when they weren’t doing well and been decisive.
“He brought Antonio Conte in — and wouldn’t back Jose Mourinho when it was clear he couldn’t do it.
“Are Chelsea showing Arsenal the way to go?”
Yet ex-England and Arsenal keeper Seaman does fear his beloved Gunners could end up like Manchester United — rather than Chelsea — if Wenger decides to leave the club. The Frenchman, 67, is out of contract in the summer and is yet to sign a new deal.
But Seaman added: “Since Abramovich took over, look at how many trophies Chelsea have won.
“What are the targets at Arsenal? Are they to be a successful business or a successful TEAM?
“Some fans are demanding change and almost panicking.
“They get angry that other clubs are pulling away from Arsenal and we are not really sustaining a title bid any more.
“The number of people that want him out is growing. But that scares me when you look at what has happened at United since Sir Alex left.
“People think whoever takes over from Arsene will push on — but it’s not as easy as that.
“We’ve all heard how reluctant Arsene is to spend money but don’t know how true that is.
“So if Arsene stays people need to back him. I want there to be more money available.
“Chelsea, City and United are well ahead financially.
“You feel Arsene is trying to protect the board, even if it means he is the fall guy.”
David Seaman was talking at the launch of SpottoCash, a new online game for football fans based on the classic ‘spot-the-ball’ competition. For details, go to www.spottocash.com