Bring in a world-class holding midfielder

Arsène Wenger’s tactical tweak to 4-1-4-1 has been motivated, in part, by the desire to accommodate as many of his attacking midfield talents as possible. And there are many of them. But it has also served, on occasion, to isolate the holding midfielder and to expose him for his lack of pace. Neither Mathieu Flamini nor Mikel Arteta is noted for his quickness.

Arteta suffered against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday, although it is doubtful whether Flamini, who missed out with a thigh injury and ended up watching the game from the press box because he was not allowed on the bench, would have fared much better.

Arteta, like so many Arsenal players, did not help himself by making basic errors to lose possession and he had only just returned from an injury of his own. But he was punished severely, as Dortmund swarmed forward in energetic fashion. Against the very best teams, particularly away from home, the fear lingers that Arsenal may need a better player with greater presence in this position in the formation.

Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) Why would you not buy a world class CDM when every single Arsenal fan was screaming for one? Just madness. #Wenger

Tighten up at the back and protect the ball

Wenger has always been an attacking coach and it feels faintly churlish to quibble about his desire to commit bodies forward in the pursuit of goals and entertainment. A big part of his game plan has been to push the full-backs high up the field when his team have the ball. It speeds the transitions and helps to stretch the opposition. But the flip-side is that Arsenal leave big spaces on the sides, they are vulnerable to the quick counter and the centre-backs can be exposed.

Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny actually snuffed out a number of Dortmund attacks in the first-half but those are not the moments that have stuck in the memory. The second half became a siege after the centre-halves were carved open by a routine ball forward for the second goal and it was all so ragged and panicky – a situation not helped throughout by Arsenal’s carelessness in possession, – something which invited Dortmund on to them.

Wenger has had cause to question the focus of his defenders, which he did after the late concession against Manchester City on Saturday and the subsequent flurry of chances for the champions, which might have seen Arsenal beaten. It is a huge irritation that Wenger’s team have conceded a headed goal in each of their Premier League fixtures so far.

Wenger must get Özil back on form

The record signing is a luxurious player and who does not like luxuries? He is capable of touches that light up matches and remind people why they love football. But after his explosive start at Arsenal the feeling has taken hold that his rider is a little overbearing. He would like a roving No10’s brief in the middle of the field, free of tracking back responsibilities and, ideally, against opponents who do not press too hard. Even for an A-lister it is asking a lot.

Wenger has tried Özil off the flank, granting him the freedom to come inside when Arsenal have the ball. After all, he was effective enough for Germany in wide areas to retain his starting place throughout their successful World Cup campaign. But it is not working for him right now and the fans’ patience is wearing thin. Perhaps he feels scrambled by the defensive demands, even if he hardly seems to embrace them.

His confidence is low and he looks to be unhappy. Wenger’s new formation has no room for a No10 and Özil is further burdened by his lack of a single assist or goal this season. His place is in jeopardy.

Wasteful Welbeck needs to find the target

First, the good bits. The striker, signed from Manchester United on deadline day, has looked typically athletic, his endeavour has been unstinting and he has made the runs to get into dangerous spaces. The last point has been the best bit. Now for the ‘but’. He has failed to finish.

One on one with Joe Hart after 12 minutes of his debut against Manchester City, he seemed to do everything right in relation to the high-difficulty chipped finish and he was unlucky to see the ball come back off the post. The bottom line, though, was he missed the target – the cardinal sin of the centre-forward. Against Dortmund, with the game lop-sided but still 0-0, he once again missed when one on one, dragging low and beyond the far post. He had four efforts in all and did not hit the target once.

Welbeck has never appeared the most instinctive of finishers and it is doubtful whether that instinct can be instilled on the training ground. It can merely be encouraged, in terms of getting him into the right areas. These remain early days but Welbeck will not be judged on his work rate.

Does Ramsey need a break?

The midfielder turned his ankle while playing for Wales on Andorra’s much-criticised 3G pitch on Tuesday of last week and he was below par against City and Dortmund. Ramsey had treatment last Thursday, trained on Friday and played on Saturday. There was then precious little breathing space before he was back on the pitch against Dortmund. The schedule is remorseless and it has no sympathy for players who are determined to play through the discomfort of niggles.

The problems inevitably become worse rather than better and that has to be a concern with a player like Ramsey, whose career has been pockmarked by injuries. Even the season of his life last time out was blotted by a three-month lay-off with thigh trouble – an injury that Wenger said, initially, did not look serious. Ramsey’s commitment is admirable but he knows he is enduring a lull and he went public with a Twitter apology for the Dortmund shambles. Part of the problem on a personal level for him is he has set himself such high standards from last season.