Arsene Wenger's Arsenal were in decline and lacked balance between defence and attack, according to new head coach Unai Emery.

Arsenal finished sixth last season with 63 points, their lowest Premier League tally of Wenger's reign, before Emery's appointment last summer.

Speaking candidly about the Arsenal squad he inherited, Emery has revealed that defensive structure and making the club more competitive against rivals were the key priorities in his new job.

"With time, only technical quality and offensive freedom were taken care of while losing defensive structure," Emery told Spanish newspaper Marca.

"What I want is to combine both and become more competitive. Arsenal was in a decline. We had to stop this, and begin climbing."