GIBBS STRESSES ARSENAL UNITY

Defender Kieran Gibbs says Arsenal's players must stand up and be counted following their poor start to the season.

The Gunners moved into the last 16 of the Carling Cup after coming from behind to beat League Two side Shrewsbury 3-1 at Emirates Stadium.

It was a welcome positive result for Arsene Wenger's squad, who have endured a miserable start to the new campaign - with the 4-3 loss at struggling Blackburn Rovers a third defeat in five Barclays Premier League matches.Wenger remains defiant under intense scrutiny, with chief executive Ivan Gazidis feeling the need to give the Frenchman a vote of confidence.

Gibbs - whose equaliser on Tuesday night was his first senior goal - is in no doubt the squad, who he claims are "100 per cent" behind Wenger, can turn things around.

"It has not been the easiest of months, but I can assure everyone that the team is together," the England Under-21 defender said.

"You can see from the stats of the games that what we are doing is right, but on some occasions we just are not getting the results.

"We are looking to turn that around as soon as possible so we can lift the club.

"We just have to stand up and be counted, not hide away now if the results don't go our way. We will see a change."

IMPROVE COLLECTIVELY

The Gunners have the worst defence in the top flight, having shipped 14 goals, eight of which came in a humiliating defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Wenger lambasted his backline for giving away preventable goals against Rovers on Saturday, in a match they had led at half-time and looked comfortable.

Gibbs accepts things have to improve collectively.

"We bring a lot of trouble on ourselves at times, but it happens," he said.

"You see other teams do it, but then they don't concede from it and it gets overlooked - but at the minute we make one (mistake) and it is a goal.

"It is unbelievable how much it is affecting us, but we will overcome it.

"We know we have the ability and the squad, which has gotten a lot stronger since the start of the season, and I am sure we will pick it up."