AW "Santos & Mertesacker are new, but they were not guilty on the goals! A lack of concentration, a lack of communication, a lack of coordination and individual urgency! Our season depends now on how well we respond now! Oxlade-Chamberlain different to Theo! Park looking good! Montolivo, Polo Linked!

• Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger insists his defence will be strengthened once the new players have time to gel.

Wenger fielded two new signings in his back four at Blackburn Rovers on Saturday - Per Mertesacker and Andre Santos - and Arsenal's defence looked vulnerable to the counter-attack, especially in the second half.

The manager expects to see an improvement soon.

“I believe there is a little question of time and timing," he said.

"Andre Santos and Per Mertesacker are new, but they were not especially guilty on the goals. But maybe as a unit we need more time to work.

“A lack of concentration, a lack of communication, a lack of coordination and individual urgency [is behind the goals we have conceded].

"When you score an own goal, you have to look at yourself. It is never completely out of your reach where you have no chance at all. All the rest, you have to look at yourself.”

• Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admits their season could be decided in the coming games.

Wenger said the Gunners were now at a point that could prove decisive for their whole season.

He said: "I personally want to focus on the positives because there is huge potential in this team. We had 22 shots on goal, 61 per cent of the possession.

"Our season depends now on how well we respond to this disappointment and how quickly we can cut out the mistakes we made on Saturday by giving away goals that we should never give away."

• Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger feels comparisons between Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott are wide of the mark.

Although Wenger can see the comparisons off the pitch, he insists that Oxlade-Chamberlain and Walcott operate very differently on it.

"They are quite similar types of players but Walcott is a bit more a striker and Oxlade-Chamberlain is more a midfielder," Wenger said.

"He [Oxlade-Chamberlain] likes more to be in the build-up of things and Walcott is more a guy who makes intelligent runs.

"So they are not that similar as players but they have some similarities physically already. They look the same size, the same type of player.

"But I believe that Oxlade-Chamberlain could be a central midfielder one day and Walcott a central striker one day. That shows the difference between the two players.

"I don’t know [if the comparisons are fair] but you can’t stop that."

• Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger feels they will benefit from the versatility of new signing Ju Young Park.

Wenger had noted the South Korea captain’s ability to play all across the front line and admits it was a key factor in his decision to sign him.

“Park is good in every area,” Wenger said. “He is good in the air, good technically, he is mobile and that’s why he is an adaptable striker who can play up front behind the striker.

“That’s why we went for him. What I like with him is that he is very mobile and that’s the basis of our game.”

• Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is convinced of big things from Japanese winger Ryo Miyaichi.

Miyaichi has featured twice for the Reserves, scoring in his first match against Wigan before setting up a goal for Sanchez Watt against Bolton last week.

Wenger is a big fan of the exciting winger and says he will be eased into the first team. “We have to give him time and not put too much pressure on him but he is a fantastic player,” the manager said.

“A year ago, Ryo came here for a trial and we decided to sign him. We want to do things properly with him and not to rush him too much.

“He has pace, attitude, efficiency in what he is doing and complete commitment.”

• Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is eager for the club tap into the Asian football market.

Ryo Miyaichi and Ju Young Park have both arrived this season.

Wenger is no stranger to Asian football having enjoyed a successful spell as manager of Nagoya Grampus Eight in Japan. He believes that the mentality of that continent’s people is a perfect fit for football.

“Asian culture, usually, is well suited to team sports,” he said. “Their culture is very collective and once they get the technical level they are very at ease in a sport where, in England, you need commitment, focus and team attitude.

“Their culture is well suited to that.”

• Arsenal are ready to pounce for Fiorentina contract rebel Riccardo Montolivo in January.

Reports in Italy suggest Arsenal are leading the chase to sign him and he has now asked Fiorentina for more time to consider his long-term future.

Montolivo has already turned down one offer of a new deal from Fiorentina as he is reported to want a release clause which allows him to join a top European club.

His current deal expires in June.

• Peruvian wonderkid Andy Polo is being watched by Arsenal.

Polo was linked with Arsenal during the summer.

The 16-year-old striker is currently on the books of cash-strapped Universitario in Peru.

It is understood that Universitario are currently in some financial trouble and will consider selling Polo for around £800,000 when the winter transfer window opens.