Arsenal will be forgiven (although obviously not by all) for giving time to new players to adapt. Olivier Giroud needs to be among the goals but that will come in time. What is unforgivable for a team with title aspirations is getting beaten by the smaller or weaker clubs in the league on a regular basis. It’s something that has been part of the make up of Arsene Wenger’s side since the move to the Emirates Stadium. But in a season that is revealing a new chapter for Arsenal, are the necessary points against tricky teams in the Premier League finally becoming an addition to Wenger’s team?

Arsenal’s problem was never in their ability to beat the big teams. When they’re at the best and they fancy it—although that raises a whole other issue—they’ve won high-profile games in emphatic style. They went to Anfield earlier in the season and took all three points off a Liverpool team who gave Manchester City a good game just the week before. But Arsenal’s problem is a little more deep seeded than just tactically losing out in the smaller games: it’s an issue which psychologically hampers their ability to go into a game knowing they can win.

In the past, Arsene Wenger’s teams have always found it difficult to get themselves in the right frame of mind for games against teams who have just been promoted. Last season was evidence of it as well as prior seasons. On paper, and the opposing managers always say it, Arsenal will beat anyone of these smaller teams at a game of football played with the ball on the deck. But Wenger’s side struggle when the mechanics of the game alters to something they’re not quite used to. Route one and powerful forwards have seen Arsenal come undone, but even with good football played against teams like Swansea, they’ve still failed to impose themselves on games.

You’d have to think that something is different this season. A point away at Stoke is a step in the right direction to all three next time around. It’s a whole lot better than nothing a few injuries. But how far can we really use those games against Stoke and Sunderland to measure Arsenal’s quality this season? At that stage the team were still trying to find their form with new players in key roles, and above all the aim would have been to keep a clean sheet.

The manner in which Arsene Wenger’s side went to Upton Park and went home with all three points was impressive. Not only did they bounce back from the 1-0 deficit, they continued to play their game and were outstanding in phases going forward. So much went through their new midfield magician Santi Cazorla, and Theo Walcott made another excellent claim to be played through the middle.

It was the type of game that should define Arsenal’s season far more than the trip to Manchester City and the home defeat to Chelsea, both of whom Arsenal picked up wins against last season. It’s the West Ham away, the Olympiakos away in the Champions League and the early Saturday kick offs at the Emirates against newly promoted sides that are the problem.

But the fear of losing isn’t so obvious in the same way it used to be with previous Arsenal teams. Cazorla, Lukas Podolski and Per Mertesacker don’t know what it means to lose to a Sam Allardyce team and the problems he has posed in the past. There’s also a point to be made that these aren’t young players still establishing themselves in the game. Each of them are full internationals who are in their prime, they understand the need to be focused in every game, no matter how “important.”

The negatives to take from games like West Ham and Stoke is that Arsenal still dominate for such long phases of the game only to allow the opposition to grab a goal or threaten on their first attack. It’s so common that it’s become boring. But that’s surely something you expect Steve Bould to iron out as he continues in the assistant role.

But the main point about Arsenal now is that they’re relying far more on a group of players rather than just one. It used to be Robin van Persie getting the team out of a hole, and Cesc Fabregas before him and Thierry Henry before him. Importantly, Arsenal never seem to be allowing their heads to drop in these games, and with “captains” all over the pitch, it becomes far more difficult for the team as a whole to hide away when the rain beats down a little harder.

Chelsea was a one off, it was a collection of mistakes that led to a very good opposition capitalising. But you have to expect that, and even teams like Real Madrid experience those games. I wouldn’t use that game to define this season for Arsenal, instead it’s important to look at the smaller games and how Wenger prepares his side to take three points from games which are there for the taking.