With each passing day in January, the chances of Alexis Sanchez or Mesut Ozil leaving grows stronger. Even the most ardent of Arsenal fans will have resigned themselves to this eventuality and the only unknown now is how Arsene Wenger will go about replacing them. A lot will probably come down to the fee that the club receives but should it all be reinvested in finding like for like attacking players?

Going forward, Arsenal are simply irresistible and a pleasure to watch. Their fluid movements cut open even the most secure defenses as time seems to stand still; a silky pass finds an attacker in what, all of a sudden, appears to be acres of space. Arsenal’s contribution towards the festive fixture list would have given many neutrals thrilling viewing with the pick of all the games being the 3-3 draw with Liverpool at the Emirates followed by the 2-2 stalemate with Chelsea.

As entertaining as the Gunners are there does lie a chronic problem at the back. Wenger’s troops scored 5 goals in those two games but came away with only two points. Some would argue that, if Morata was in better form, Arsenal would have lost by a few against the Blues. So, should Wenger get money from the sale of his two creative players, would it be better off invested in proven Premier League defenders?

As far as prospective targets go, Wenger has been tight-lipped, apart from ruling out a move for Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The Gabonese international has 13 league goals in 15 appearances and would no doubt go a long way to replacing Sanchez. Being backed at 5/2 in the latest Bundesliga betting for the Golden Boot illustrates his prowess in front of goal but, even if a dynamic forward like Aubameyang did arrive at the Emirates, would he fix Arsenal’s problems?

Wenger has always put the onus on attacking and the rich and eye-catching football Arsenal play comes from a deep ethos within the club. The supporters expect to be entertained and they certainly are – until they lose games after their defensive structure implodes.

If a compromise were to be struck and some of the transfer budget spent on buying defenders then Arsenal wouldn’t consistently be playing catch up on the top four. When Wenger brought in 20-year-old Greek Defender Konstantinos Mavropanos to the club in a deal worth £2.2m on January 4th, it just reinforced the priorities of the Arsenal boss. Even if he is one for the future it does suggest that the allocation of funds isn’t always evenly shared out.

It doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom for Arsenal and manager Arsene Wenger as the two of their better players get ready to depart. When a door closes, a window opens, and now may be the time to begin making his team harder to break down. Without a doubt, Arsenal’s vulnerability is their inability to defend well. Only once they change that, they will they be realistic title contenders.