Errors and criticism hurt us, says Gibbs

Gibbs (right) scored the equaliser against Shrewsbury (GETTY IMAGES)

Arsenal have brought "a lot of" their recent problems on themselves, according to the club's young defender Kieran Gibbs. He insists, however, that the Gunners, who currently lie 17th in the Premier League and were forced to come from behind to beat Shrewsbury in the Carling Cup on Tuesday, will improve.

"To be honest, it's not been the easiest of months... but I can assure everyone that the team is together and you can see from the stats of the games that what we are doing is right," the left-back said.

"But on some occasions we just aren't getting the results. We are looking to turn that around as soon as possible so we can lift the club. There have been some errors but I also think we bring a lot of the trouble on to ourselves sometimes. It happens in football."

The 21-year-old admits he has taken some of the criticism levelled at Arsenal personally but maintains they have been unlucky. He said: "We have progressed in our last couple of games; it is just that individual things are punished. We make one mistake and it's a goal. It's unbelievable how much it is affecting us, but we'll overcome it."

Wenger received a vote of confidence from the club's chief executive, Ivan Gazidis, before Tuesday's match with Shrewsbury and Gibbs says the manager's position should not be called into question. "If we haven't shown [that we support the manager] already, then I'm sure we will.

"I don't think we need to show what type of man Arsène Wenger is. If we needed to do that, then there is no point in us being here because what the man has done is incredible. We all have to be behind him.

"We know we have the ability and the squad. If you look at the players we have got a lot stronger since the start of the season and I'm sure we will pick it up. We just have to stand up and not hide away."

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain admitted he had forgotten what it was like to be in the thick of the action, but hopes there is more to come after helping fire Arsenal into the last 16. The 18-year-old £10m winger marked his first start with a well-taken goal in the 3-1 win over Shrewsbury.

He said: "I haven't been on the bench as much as I would have liked recently and that is due to some quality signings. I forgot what it felt like to be out there."