Gunners’ defensive weakness worrying for Wenger

Arsenal 2 Hull 2

Arsene Wenger admits the opening quarter of the 2014-15 season has been far more challenging than he expected as his newly-styled Arsenal team, already 11 points behind leaders Chelsea in the Premier League, head to Anderlecht in the Champions League on Wednesday increasingly aware that serious defensive frailties are likely to stymie their progress.

The arrival of Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona – so soon after spending just as big on Mesut Ozil — was meant to herald a new era at the Emirates as Arsenal ended a period of financial restriction since building their new stadium and adopted a new, more optimistic and more ambitious outlook.