It has been another up and down week in Arsenal's Jekyll and Hyde season. Last Saturday they scraped a one-nil victory over Wigan at Ashburton Grove but on Wednesday evening went down two-nil at Porto in the Champions League. Neither performance instilled much confidence that some sort of corner had been turned after the victory at Stamford Bridge and the notion of picking up a trophy at the end of the season still feels very much like a faint hope rather than an expectation.

The main talking point from Saturday's game was the barracking of Emmanuel Eboue as he was substituted off towards the end of the clash with Wigan. The Ivorian had himself earlier come on as substitute for Samir Nasri who had picked up a knock. The media have levelled much criticism at the supporters who booed him as he came off but there appeared to be a lack of understanding of the full context of what happened from observers who may only have been there that day.

Eboue is a player who many Arsenal supporters have fallen out of love with over the past couple of seasons. After a promising start to his career in England, his progress has shifted into reverse gear in recent times. This season in particular there has been a rising tide of opinion that not only has his form not warranted selection by the manager but his attitude has been left wanting. Even in pre-season games there were rumblings of discontent about his inclusion in starting line-ups. During the opening weeks of the new season he did little to turn people's faltering opinions of him. When he became injured a few weeks ago, there were not many supporters fretting over his absence from the team.

Saturday saw his comeback from injury. Arsene Wenger included him on the bench and probably didn't imagine that he would have to make a decision to bring him on so soon in the game. Football can be an unpredictable game though and when Nasri took an early knock a replacement had to be introduced. It is here where Wenger needs to examine his part in what was to occur later in the afternoon. Should he have brought on a player just back from injury, and who clearly was not fully fit, when he had Jack Wilshere on the bench who could not only play in the position required but had also amply proved himself against the opposition in the Carling Cup a few weeks previously?

The manager opted for Eboue and from the outset it was the wrong decision. The Ivorian constantly lost his position, failed to provide the team with any width and squandered possession with alarming regularity. Towards the end of the game when Arsenal were hanging on, Eboue's profligacy nearly cost them the game. The moment where he tackled Kolo Toure and passed the ball to a Wigan player would have been comical had the situation not been so tense.

It was clear something needed to happen but again it is questionable whether Arsene Wenger made the right decision by taking Eboue off as it put further focus on him and looked like a public admission by the manager that bringing him on had been a mistake. During the match, the crowd had become increasingly irritated by the Ivorian and his number coming up on the fourth official's board caused an outbreak of cheering - followed by boos.

Though Eboue took the sharp end of the jeering, those boos were also borne out of frustration with Arsene Wenger's persistence with certain players who are simply not good enough, the way the team is playing currently and the bigger picture at the club. Last season Arsenal had a year that looked like they were on the brink of something but the manager's poor transfer dealings in the summer have set things back and the club is floundering. Instead of putting in a solid title challenge, in truth, Arsenal are scrapping for fourth place with Aston Villa. Understandably, many supporters are annoyed by this and with no other outlet for their disquiet Emmanuel Eboue took the brunt of it.

Whether it was the right or wrong thing to do will continue to be debated but the annoyance and frustration has at least been noted by the managers and the players. They know that patience is wearing thin and some of the weak displays that have been endured this season so far will no longer be tolerated.