For a side capable of scoring at any moment from anywhere on the pitch it seems strange to pose the theory that Arsenal’s weakness this season could be a shortage of goals. Arsène Wenger’s side lost their enviable record of scoring in every Barclays Premier League match this season, but they will be more concerned about sacrificing the initiative to Manchester United in the title race.

It is too early to panic — they are a single point adrift of the leaders as well as being joint leading goalscorers with United with 36 goals in 19 matches — but a slight blunting of Arsenal’s attacking edge is becoming a cause for concern.

David James, the Portsmouth and England goalkeeper, was called into action only once and as the visiting team grew frustrated in the second half it was Portsmouth who created more clear-cut openings. Wenger’s whingeing reflected his deep-seated frustration. Arsenal’s flowing football is capable of concealing a multitude of sins, with a lack of firepower in the final third the most potentially damaging, as even their manager conceded. “It’s frustrating because we’re not used to not scoring,” Wenger said. “In the final third, maybe decision-wise we weren’t good enough to open them up. We had a few opportunities at the start of the game which we didn’t use well.”

Wenger will be well aware of the fact that their past five wins have come by the odd goal, creating the suspicion that they suffer from a shortage of goalscorers. For all his qualities Emmanuel Adebayor is never going to be truly prolific — particularly when deployed as a lone striker — and Wenger needs Robin van Persie to recover from the groin strain that has followed his longstanding knee injury.

Arsenal’s electrifying start to the season was largely based on the increased output of the midfield triumvirate of Cesc Fàbregas, Alexander Hleb and Tomas Rosicky, none of whom could be considered natural goalscorers in the manner of Cristiano Ronaldo and Paul Scholes at Old Trafford.

Fàbregas has not scored since the 2-2 draw with United at the start of November, while of Adebayor’s ten goals this season, six of them have come against Tottenham Hotspur and Derby County.

Portsmouth’s attacking problems are far more acute as they have not scored at home in the league since September, but their fans will not be complaining after a fine performance in which they were largely untroubled.

Harry Redknapp’s side succeeded in doing to Arsenal exactly what Sol Campbell claimed in the programme visiting teams have done to Portsmouth this season, namely take advantage of the tight pitch to deny them any time and space.

Campbell and Sylvain Distin were outstanding at the centre of the home team’s defence, while Richard Hughes relished patrolling the area in front of them against his old club.

Arsenal’s form has faltered slightly recently as they have collected only two points from their past three away games, yet they remain capable of playing football that takes the breath away. Two such instances could have brought goals in the first 17 minutes as the visiting team propelled the ball from one end to the other with a pace and precision rarely seen.

On collecting the ball on the edge of his penalty area, Gaël Clichy, the left back, carried it effortlessly to the halfway line before playing a wonderful cross-field pass to Emmanuel Eboué, who after advancing at pace, played a one-two with Adebayor that ended with him shooting narrowly wide across goal.

Eboué began a similarly sublime piece of pass-and-move football 11 minutes later, passing for Hleb who found Adebayor, who then saw Fàbregas darting into the box, only to see the Spain midfield player’s touch desert him.

Such wonderful vignettes were exceptions, however, and it took 37 minutes for Arsenal to muster their first shot on target, with Rosicky, the industrious Czech Republic midfield player, cutting in from the left to unleash a curling shot that James saved. After offering little for most of the second half Rosicky shot across goal in stoppage time after William Gallas had blasted over the bar two minutes earlier, but otherwise Portsmouth were largely untroubled.

The home side grew in confidence after the break and in the last quarter created the better chances. Manuel Almunia made good saves from Benjani Mwaruwari, Papa Bouba Diop and Hughes before Mwaruwari was ushered away from goal by Clichy after rounding the Spanish goalkeeper, who clipped the Zimbabwe striker on his way through. Unsurprisingly, Wenger did not appear to see it.

How they lined up

Portsmouth (4-5-1): D James – Lauren, S Campbell, S Distin, H Hreidarsson – B Mwaruwari (sub: J Utaka, 82), P Diop, S Muntari, R Hughes, N Kranjcar (sub: M Taylor, 76) – Kanu. Substitutes not used: D Traoré, K Nugent, J Utaka, A Begovic. Booked: Lauren, Bouba Diop.

Arsenal (4-4-1-1): M Almunia – B Sagna, K Touré, W Gallas, G Clichy – E Eboué (sub: A Diaby, 65), F Fàbregas, M Flamini, T Rosicky – A Hleb (sub: N Bendtner, 82), E Adebayor. Substitutes not used: J Lehmann, L Diarra, A Song. Booked: Eboué.

Referee: S Bennett

What they need

Portsmouth With four key players missing for much of the next two months because of the African Cup of Nations, Portsmouth need to strengthen many areas of their squad, so it is just as well Harry Redknapp likes nothing better than to wheel and deal.

Arsenal Arsène Wenger is unlikely to be too active during the transfer window, though he may be tempted if any outstanding strikers or centre backs suddenly become available.