‘Four is enough’: Arsenal set with Koscielny, Mertesacker, Chambers and Gabriel in central defence

'We are not out to buy a central defender' insists Arsene Wenger, who thinks he has solidified the Arsenal defensive core to the point they can compete for the Premier League title next year.

Arsenal defenders Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker shown after an Arsenal victory last season. Laurence Griffiths / Getty Images / November 2, 2013

Arsene Wenger believes he has solved Arsenal's soft defensive core and that the club can win the Premier League title playing free-flowing football.

Wenger has Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker, Calum Chambers and Gabriel Bautista as central defensive options and he is not in the market for another defender.

“Four is enough,” Wenger said.

“(Mathieu) Debuchy can play there, (Nacho) Monreal can play there, so you can say we are not out to buy a central defender.

“And Gabriel will be a great central defender, believe me.”

Arsenal have won nine of their games in an unbeaten 10-match run ahead of Monday’s clash with Swansea City.

The exception was a goalless draw with champions Chelsea, whose approach became more pragmatic as they neared the title.

Wenger insists Arsenal’s attractive style can deliver a first title since 2003/04, but knows his side must show more steel and win when not at their best.

“Of course we can win,” the title, Wenger added.

“We have done it before. Manchester United have done it. Plenty of teams have done it.

“It is how well you play, the kind of game you play. For example, you don’t question Barcelona about the way they play football.

“But if they start to lose games you will question ‘Are they not too naive?’. But when they win you don’t question it of course.

“You cannot play 38 games in the same convincing style. You need to have a balance in your team so that if you are not at a level of fluency you can still win the game.

“Then most of the time it is the individual talent of the players.

“You have to accept that at some level – unfortunately – the game becomes an individual sport.”

One of the games when Arsenal’s defensive failings were exposed this season was at Swansea on November 9, when Jefferson Montero gave Chambers, operating at right-back, a torrid time.

The then 19-year-old had made an impressive start to the season after a summer switch from Southampton and been rewarded with his first three England appearances.

Wenger says Chambers has developed since the Swansea performance, although he has been in and out of the starting XI.

“He had some difficult games, but that’s part of gaining experience and the learning process. Everybody goes through that,” Wenger added.

“When they come out of it, they are stronger. He analyses well what happens and I think he will learn and come out stronger.”

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