THE time has come for Owen Coyle to take some of his big players out of the firing line.

Looking back over the last couple of weeks, and putting aside the great performance against Villa in the cup, it’s clear that the opposition have done their homework and targeted where they think our weak spots are.

Defensively, we just haven’t been good enough.

It has become too easy for people to get round us and get crosses into the box. And we’re switching off too often when the ball does get in there.

When you look at the height in our side, we should not be conceding from set pieces and corners. There has been no focus or concentration at times.

I don’t like pointing fingers but you have to start by looking at the back four.

Both of our full-backs have been given the runaround and I think Dedryck Boyata has struggled for focus a bit on the right. Sometimes I think they don’t get the protection from the winger in front of them, though.

In the middle, big Zat has cost us quite a few goals of late.

Last season he was outstanding. There was a spell when he just couldn’t put a foot wrong, making headers, blocks and last-ditch tackles. This was the guy who got himself into the England set up.

But everyone goes through a bad patch and while I think it’s only temporary, I think it might be time for him to take a step back.

No-one will go and ask his manager for a break. But sometimes you take a little sight of relief when it happens.

Maybe it gives him a chance to do a little bit extra in training, which is tough when you are in the team because you are always preparing for that next game.

It gives you a chance to sharpen up and I think that’s a vital thing for a defender.

Up front, I think Kevin Davies is in the same situation. He has carried this team on his back for the last three or four years, no question, but that’s life. Something has got to give.

He hasn’t had the best start for the season, so this might be the time to say ‘take a back seat and get yourself right again’. He’ll be back, no doubt about it.

Lots of people have been calling for Jussi Jaaskelainen to be pulled out of the side as well, but while it might be his time will come, I think the problems have been in the back four this last few weeks.

Some of the shots on target have come from big mistakes right in front of him. He’s made a couple of mistakes, sure, but give him a chance and he’ll save more than he lets in.

It’ll be interesting to see what Owen does on Saturday after a few of the lads gave him something to think about on Tuesday night.

You tell players in your dressing room that you have to show you’re good enough to be in the team.

If they do it and they don’t get that place, they can turn round and say it’s never going to happen.

But I’ve got a funny feeling the team-sheet will be one to talk about.

ARSENE Wenger will never admit it, but he’s already regretting the fact he didn’t sign Gary Cahill.

As Jim Bowen would have said, I hope we go to the Emirates on Saturday and give him a good look at “what he would have won”.

His job is being scrutinised now and while he’ll never say it publicly, Wenger has ended up taking a couple of massive gambles with the players he did bring in.

Per Mertersacker and Andre Santos don’t look up to speed for me. They might be okay in the end, but as with any foreign player, you run the risk of them not adapting to the pace of the Premier League right away, and that’s what has happened.

I think this is a good time to play Arsenal.

I listened the commentary of their game against Shrewsbury in midweek and after they went a goal down, they could have gone on to concede two or three. They were all at sea.

Mind, they’ll probably think it’s a good time to play us too because no matter how good the result was in the Carling Cup, the league performances haven’t been up to scratch.

Gary bounced back against his old club Villa, and I’ve got no worries that he’ll be in top form again on Saturday.

I’m sure everyone will be talking about him in the build-up, but as always, he’ll take it in his stride.

IT’S no coincidence that the players raised their game at Villa Park on the day Stuart Holden made his return.

He’s the complete package, a talisman for the team. And the lads feed off that.

It must have been very tempting for Owen to rush him back a little bit, especially with how things have gone recently.

I don’t expect him to start on Saturday against Arsenal because I think two games in four days is a step too far.

For the next couple of months his recovery rate is going to be slower.

But there is plenty more to come, and I can’t speak highly enough of the lad as a player or as a person.

We’re very lucky to have him at this club.

THERE haven’t been many positives to cling on to in the league just recently, but I think Martin Petrov’s form is one of them.

We’re finally getting to see the player we signed last summer, and I think he’s been the most consistent player so far this season.

Yes, I think he’s got work to do on the defensive side of his game.

But some of the crosses he has been putting in are phenomenal. They just need finishing off.