Wenger removes Arsenal’s soft centre

Fulham 0 Arsenal 1

Arsenal retreated from White Hart Lane in early March red-faced after a disastrous defensive performance that prompted observations that this Gunners side had a soft centre which would ultimately confirm their demise from the elite.

It may well have done if Wenger had not acted decisively, dropping club captain Thomas Vermaelen, and placing his trust in the central defensive pairing of Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker. The move has done little for Vermaelen’s standing but the reorganisation, together with a greater emphasis on the basics of defending on the training ground, has given Arsenal a resilience they lacked and that ensured they avoided dropping points at Craven Cottage.