Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has backed his captain William Gallas and maintained there is no problem with the Frenchman's leadership of the squad.
The Gunners have found themselves overhauled at the top of the Barclays Premier League by both Manchester United and Chelsea following a run of just four points from five games after last weekend's defeat at Stamford Bridge.
Former Blues defender Gallas has come in for criticism following his reaction to the last-gasp draw at Birmingham when he broke down in the centre-circle, as well as a controversial magazine article commenting on Theo Walcott's development.
Following the loss to Chelsea, the veteran French centre-back went over to the travelling support and threw his shirt into the crowd, which he insists was nothing unusual or any kind of statement.
Wenger, though, maintains the 30-year-old is the right man to lead his young Gunners forward.
He said: "I believe he had not the best of performances on Sunday, and he would be the first to agree with that, but I don't question his leadership nor his position in the team.
"You have the same William Gallas - and the same people said it was a good choice to make him captain when we were five points ahead, and you have not to go too much overboard."
Wenger maintained he had no problem with his captain's comments concerning Walcott.
The Arsenal boss said: "He said Walcott could be the next Wayne Rooney, but he has to work. What is wrong with that? You want at 18 years of age to not work? It's unbelievable.
"I read it really carefully, it didn't say anything wrong on that. After the way it has been turned, yes.
"If you want to win the World Cup you have to accept that your players are highly exposed, you have to accept that you have to work.
"Is it an insult to say somebody has to work? I don't know, I don't think so."
Wenger believes Gallas is an easy target during what has been Arsenal's worst run of form in nine seasons.
He said: "I believe at the moment when you don't go well, everybody is analysed a little bit more, with scrutiny.
"But what we want to do is perform well as a team again and we know we can do that.
"And on Sunday, for example, we played okay, but we have to improve. Recently what punished us a lot is that defensively we have made big mistakes."
Wenger insisted: "William has my full support and my full backing and I am completely behind him, and behind the team as well.
"We are going through a bad patch, I agree with you, but we want to come back and win the games again that we can win."
Most of the Arsenal squad have been away on international duty this week.
Wenger reported a clean bill of health from those who had returned to the training ground on Thursday morning before he set off to the Emirates Stadium, where French president Nicolas Sarkozy met Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
However, the Gunners - who travel to Bolton on Saturday - will be missing full-back Bacary Sagna, who is set to be out for up to a month after suffering an ankle injury at Chelsea.
"It is a big blow because he has been a revelation for us, a fantastic player," Wenger said.
"I have seen the injury again on tape. He wanted to kick the ball out and he twisted his ankle. That made it a bad injury."
