The last couple of seasons, seeing our midfield overrun, Wenger changed from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3. This added more players in central midfield where too often we had lost vital games, but the flip-side meant that the striker was isolated.

For 4-3-3 to work you need at least one of your three central midfielders to get into areas to support the striker.

One of the saddest effects of our poor form during 2011 has been seeing how lesser teams no longer fear us.

The psychological advantage of having most opponents assume they would get nothing out of playing us has been whittled away by a series of unfortunate events.

Throwing away a four goal lead at Newcastle; losing to relegation-bound Birmingham in the Carling Cup Final; league defeats to the likes of West Brom, Stoke and Bolton:

All these and more have turned our shiny armour of invincibility into a tattered and battered old coat of rusty chain mail, pock-marked with holes.

Written by FatGingerGooner

So the dust has settled on a couple of dreadful Arsenal away results, and equally dreadful defensive displays. Obviously, I'm talking about the 8-2 and 4-3 defeats. There have been a lot of people coming out of the woodwork in recent days, using these results as ammunition to have a pop at the manager and also to give their opinion on the direction this club needs to go.

Like any self respecting football fan, I spent most of yesterday sat in my office scouring Twitter for the latest transfer rumour and staring intently at BBC's sports day live patiently waiting for each auto refreshing nugget of drama to unfold. Not a lot of work was done.

Conversely, those behind the scenes at the Emirates were very busy, something we are not used to from recent deadline days.

Arsenal are still a formidable force, warns Liverpool's Kenny Dalglish

• Liverpool manager defends 'fantastic' Arsène Wenger • 'They have lost Fábregas but it will be a difficult game' With respect to Arsène Wenger, big clubs do sell big players and retain ambition providing they reinvest on the field and not into their bank accounts.

How many big players have we sold in the past? Tons. When a player is not 100% committed to the club both physically and mentally it is best to let them go for the sake of the other ten players on the pitch who are giving a lot more for the side. It doesn't matter how good this player is, when it comes to a team you are all equal, you all have to work tirelessly and give total commitment.