Graphic: Bill Edgar's tactical analysis

Will Arsenal win anything this season? It is unlikely on the evidence of this display. Only Manchester United have lifted the FA Cup more times than Arsenal, but Cesc Fàbregas and Co will not be parading any trophies around the streets of North London in May unless Arsène Wenger addresses his team’s problems with a spending spree of historic proportions before the transfer window closes next month.

Plymouth Argyle, a Coca-Cola Championship team who have won only once in six weeks, were efficient and organised, but that is all you need to be to cause Arsenal problems. Injury to three of their best players – Fàbregas, Theo Walcott and Tomas Rosicky – and a failure to spend last summer has contributed to the club’s worst start to a season since Wenger replaced Bruce Rioch 12 years ago.

The Arsenal manager started the campaign by claiming that the Champions League and the Barclays Premier League were the only competitions that mattered, but his team have been so inconsistent since August that he was forced to pick an almost full-strength side to face lower-league opposition in a third-round FA Cup tie at home. “I was conscious that we couldn’t afford to slip up,” Wenger said. “We have had enough negative publicity.”

Last week Wenger had to deny that William Gallas and Kolo Touré had clashed during training and this week the manager’s problems are likely to centre on reports that he has already fallen out with Ivan Gazidis, the new chief executive, over the club’s transfer policy. Arsenal are so short of quality in midfield and defence that Wenger has refused to rule out signing players who would be unable to play in the Champions League. “I would like to think longer term,” he said. “If the right player comes in, even if he is not available for the Champions League, then class is more important for me.”

Class is something that Plymouth may lack but the Championship side made up for it with a gritty performance that delighted their 9,000 supporters at the Emirates Stadium. Karl Duguid, the captain, and David Gray and Craig Cathcart, the defenders on loan from Manchester United, caught the eye but their best player was Romain Larrieu.

The French goalkeeper, who has recovered from testicular cancer, made a series of impressive first-half saves to keep the scores level until Robin van Persie scored from a corner soon after the interval. Gray inadvertently doubled Arsenal’s advantage in the 50th minute when he diverted a cross by Van Persie past Larrieu and Plymouth were suddenly 2-0 down minutes after their manager had told them to prepare for the worst at the start of the second period. “At half-time I warned my players about what they were about to receive, that they would have to get into the trenches for 15 minutes,” Paul Sturrock, the Plymouth manager, said. “Fifty seconds later we were 1-0 down and three minutes later we were 2-0 down and at Arsenal you start to worry.”

Sturrock had nothing to worry about. An Arsenal side playing with confidence would have pressed home their advantage at that stage but Duguid sent Plymouth fans wild when he beat Lukasz Fabianski from close range after 52 minutes and the outcome was not settled until Van Persie restored Arsenal’s two-goal advantage with a right-foot strike in the closing stages. “We got lucky with our goals,” Van Persie, who captained Arsenal for the first time, said. “We need to win a trophy as soon as possible. If we can win something this year, it will be a big, big achievement.”

That probably will not happen unless Wenger makes wholesale changes to his squad this month. According to many Arsenal fans, he needs a goalkeeper, a central defender, two midfield players and a forward – although nobody who had travelled to the game from the South West felt short-changed. “They are the best team I have ever played against,” Larrieu said. “No one else plays like they do. You never know what they are going to do next.”

Arsenal (4-4-1-1): L Fabianski 5 – B Sagna 6, W Gallas 6, J Djourou 6, M Silvestre 6 (sub: K Gibbs, 30min 6) – E Eboué 6 (sub: C Vela, 70 5), A Diaby 5, A Ramsey 6, S Nasri 7 – R van Persie 7 – N Bendtner 5 (sub: J Wilshere, 86). Substitutes not used: M Almunia, E Adebayor, A Bischoff, M Randall. Booked: Bendtner.

Plymouth Argyle (4-4-2): R Larrieu 8 – D Gray 7, C Cathcart 7, M Seip 7, C Barker 7 – C Clark 6 (sub: C Noone, 78), L Summerfield 6, K Duguid 7, J Mackie 6 – R Fallon 6, P Gallagher 6 (sub: S MacLean, 72). Substitutes not used: L Saxton, K Timar, Y Folly, M Doumbe, E Mpenza. Booked: Duguid.

Referee M Jones Attendance 59,424

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