Arsenal failed to create many chances against a fairly makeshift Middlesbrough defence at the weekend. They were not helped much by their lack of genuine wide players – with Diaby and Denilson in the wide midfield positions.

Of course Theo Walcott is injured at the moment, and as inconsistent as he is, at least he is willing to take on a full back and run towards the by-line. And that may be part of the reason opponents do not like facing him. He is the one genuinely unpredictable aspect of Arsenal’s attack. Given he is the only player who will not cut in as a matter of course when in possession, it exposes an imbalance in the squad.

If the Gunners’ defence were as mean as George Graham’s then this lack of a genuine winger might not be such a weakness, as they do normally manage to find the net at least once in a game. However, as the visit to Teesside demonstrated, one goal is rarely enough for Arsenal these days.

There’s nothing wrong with playing without width if your players are good enough. The side that won five trophies in four seasons between 2002 and 2005 is a prime example. So too is England’s one and only World Cup winning team. However, if the players aren’t of the requisite quality, it’s not too difficult to stop them. The difference a winger gives you is that when the ball flashes across the face of the goal from an angle it is much more difficult to defend against. Own goals, tap-ins and deflections can all result.

What Boro away and too many other matches this season have shown is that Arsenal have lost their ability to surprise. There is a lack of imagination in the play and the build-up is often too slow. Defences have the opportunity to mass ranks leaving Wenger’s men to unpick the lock with a series of intricate one-twos. It looks good until it breaks down. The players that won trophies for Arsenal used less passes, got to the business end of the pitch at pace with clever use of the ball and once there tended to avoid over-elaboration.

So time to freshen things up. Fabregas apart, the midfield needs a complete overhaul, not only to improve their defensive capability but to inject some pace and imagination into their attacking play. Things have gone horribly stale this season. A couple of players might survive – Nasri could do a job partnered by better colleagues and Walcott could be a great impact sub. But when I saw the midfield quartet announced before the game at the Riverside, my heart sunk. I think it was the same one that faced Stoke. The resulting performance wasn’t that surprising. Arsenal struggle to overcome a more committed but technically lesser team.

It’s a strange season in which the ‘big four’ are dropping cheap points all over the place. But Arsenal have already dropped more than any of their title rivals. And watching them play, no-one will be surprised as they continue to drop even more. Villa won on Saturday to leapfrog the Gunners into fourth place. The Boxing Day trip to face the team that could displace Wenger’s men from their Champions League qualification is now vital.