Arsenal title winner Alan Smith has suggested Unai Emery was not the right fit for the Gunners during his time at the club.
But he had insisted that the Spaniard is a "talented coach".
The Aston Villa manager was facing his former club today.
Smith told Sky Sports Football Podcast: It's funny isn't it because there are perceptions of managers and as you say he's lost his last two, but there's still a feelgood factor there with Unai Emery.
People can see what he's trying to do and that he's a really good coach.
It was obviously the wrong fit at Arsenal, the wrong place at the wrong time, but what he did when he went back to Spain speaks for itself.
He's obviously a very talented coach."