Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour believes the Gunners need to strengthen the defensive department and sign three or four players before the transfer window shuts down.

Speaking to the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast, the Englishman explained that the first month of football is vital for the Gunners as if they fail to get off to a good start then fans will ask more questions and manager Arsene Wenger will have to deal with “big problems”.

On what the Gunners need, the 38-year old replied by saying that he is hoping for three, maybe four new signings as midfielders Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri have to replaced if they leave adding that new defenders are needed as they conceded way too many goals last season.

Parlour concluded by describing last season’s lost Carling Cup Final as a disaster and the main reason why manager Arsene Wenger is under heavy pressure adding that last season’s campaign was maybe the first time in which the Frenchman was under pressure to deliver.

On what the Gunners need, Parlour said:

Wenger needs to hit the ground running. The fans are waiting for the first five or ten games and if the results don’t go well everything will be a big problem for Arsenal.

I’m still hoping there will be three or four more players coming in before the window closes and then there’s a little bit of hope of a good season.

But the likes of Nasri and Fabregas are hard to replace. You look around the world and who can come in to replace them? There aren’t many.

Arsenal still need defenders. They will always create chances with the players they’ve got but they need to shore up the defence. Their problem last season was leaking silly goals and they have to improve that. Arsenal need to make themselves harder to beat.

Every manager is under pressure, except probably Sir Alex Ferguson. I would have said Wenger was in that category but last season was probably his first most frustrating.

He knows they were so close to doing well, but losing the Carling Cup final was a disaster and finished their season.

Thegunninghawk.com