Blackburn 4-3 Arsenal - Defensive Shambles Sink Gunners

Arsenal's revival was put to an end by bottom-of-the-table Blackburn Rovers after the home team secured a 4-3 win at Ewood Park.

After their 8-2 mauling at Manchester United, Arsenal managed their first win of the season against Swansea last week before coming away with a point at Borrussia Dortmund on Tuesday. Some quarters suggested that Arsene Wenger side were back on track. However, an inability to hang onto a lead, a folly which haunted them on a few occasions last season, proved to be their undoing yet again.

Returning from suspension, Gervinho scored an early goal, prompting predictions of a rout against Blackburn, whose manager Steve Kean has come under pressure from his own fans.

Yakubu's equalizer, fifteen minutes later, was cancelled out as Mikel Arteta scored his first goal for Arsenal, giving his side the lead for the second time in the first half.

However, Blackburn exposed Arsenal's defensive frailties in the second half, with two own goals making a mockery of Wenger's side. Alex Song and Laurent Koscielny both had the misfortune of finding their own net, while Yakubu's second, sandwiched in between, ensured that substitute Marouane Chamakh's header with five minutes remaining wouldn't stop them from their first win of the season.

Arsenal's defence was a complete shambles. Per Mertesacker, the lanky German centre-half brought to add a new edge to defending set pieces, failed to impose himself during a Blackburn free kick. Song's own goal can be put down to the fact that no Arsenal defender charged for the ball. It fell on Song's knee and as he was blinded by the body in front, his reactions were delayed as the ball rolled into the net.

Yakubu's second can also be put down to low-quality defending from Arsenal, while Koscielny's own goal came after Blackburn surged on the counter.

Wenger has a lot of thinking to do, especially as it will take time for his new defenders - Mertesacker and Andre Santos - to come to terms with the Premier League. Arsenal have conceded 14 goals in five games so far. Derby County, in 2007, was the previous team to hold the unwanted record.