It all boils down to defence

Should Wenger be blamed for all of Arsenal's woes when it comes to their performance in recent weeks or is it just a matter of being unlucky with so many players out at the same time. - Reuters pic, October 26, 2014.If you have been watching Arsenal in the past three weeks, you can be forgiven for thinking that this team bears no resemblance to the one that used to terrorise its opponents on the pitch, nor the one that went an entire season unbeaten in England.

An injury time goal by Danny Welbeck which salvaged a 2-2 draw with Hull City two Saturdays ago was followed by some smash and grab business on Wednesday night against Anderlecht in the Champions League.

For the most part, it wasn't a great match, not from any Arsenal supporter's point of view, but luck and persistence prevailed as Kieran Gibbs and Lukas Podolski struck late to get us out of jail.

While it might not have been fatal to our Champions League hopes if we had lost or drawn the game, I suppose a win deflects the attention from another average performance from The Gunners, more so after dropping two points in the league the weekend before against current league leaders Chelsea.

If nothing else, at least the last minute win made sure that we, the Arsenal fans, can safely get through the week spared from insulting banter, witty quips and teasing that usually ensues after a bad result. Be mindful that it is often better when you dish them out than being on the receiving end, and that's a common understanding all football fans can relate to.

In Champions League Group D, Arsenal now sit in second place, five points clear of third. Of course, that puts us in the right direction heading for the next stages.

I am even willing to bet my bottom dollar that teams like Liverpool, Juventus and Manchester City will not think twice about trading places with Arsenal in Europe.

However, unlike Borussia Dortmund, we've not really shown a performance deserving of that healthy lead, and it could very well have been a different story had we not won on Wednesday night. But a win is a win and according to the Arsene Wenger, he has now set his sights on challenging Dortmund to the top spot.

I would like to think we can do it, although the Germans are doing fantastic in Europe at the moment (which beggars belief considering their horrendous domestic form this season). The way we've played the Belgians has also provided little evidence to support that belief.

The thing is, most of the time, Arsenal are reliable enough to get the job done. The only problem being that they are not capable of doing it convincingly and consistently.

It seems as though the team's defence, or lack thereof, has been identified as the main culprit of our problems.

Still, I'm surprised at how quickly fingers are pointed at the manager again. Sure, he has to shoulder some of the blame, but I genuinely feel that Wenger had tried to address such concerns when he brought in Mathieu Debuchy and Calum Chambers.

It is easy to demand for another central defender, but isn't that a repeat of the same dilemma we once had with Thomas Vermaelen? Would you rather have Laurent Koscielny or Per Mertesacker warming the bench? What about the raves and plaudits heaped on the "best centre-back pairing" in the English Premier League last season? Have these all already been forgotten?

Don't get me wrong here, like so many Gooners out there, I will happily welcome news regarding any addition of world class players to reinforce this Arsenal team. But at the same time, I remind myself not to be a fickle fan or a glory hunter whose focus is to criticise the manager and players at the slightest hint of trouble.

Once the injuries and suspensions take their course and should there be no improvement with our best four playing at the back, maybe the debate can start again.

As I'm writing this in real time, Arsenal have managed to cut Chelsea's lead to eight points by beating Sunderland 2-0 away from home, albeit having played a game more. Safe to say, every single fan who does not support Chelsea are in desperate need of a huge favour from Manchester United when they play the league leaders later. I never say this very often but this time, I'm hoping the Red Devils bag all three points and the bragging rights. – October 26, 2014.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.