The league leaders' defence has lost the air of near panic but will face toughest test before end of December

What a pleasure it must be for a football manager etching out a team sheet when the first five names more or less write themselves.

Goalkeeper. Right-back. Two centre-halves. Left-back. No pauses, no undue worries, as one name weaves seamlessly into the next to make a superglued defensive mass: SzczesnySagnaMertesackerKoscielnyGibbs.

It has felt like ages since Arsenal could feel so secure about their back line. A new resilience was forged at the end of last season as a determined base became the foundation for another late scramble to a top-four finish.

That has carried over to this season and, with the aid of a more cohesive midfield in front of them and a visibly matured goalkeeper behind them, Arsenal's defence has lost that air of being only a second away from a sudden, high-balled panic. The longer they can keep that assurance going, the more confidence grows.

Of course, they are still prone to lapses, as was the case when Robin van Persie found the space to inflict the only blemish on an otherwise perfect November. The single-goal defeat at Old Trafford was the only time Wojciech Szczesny was beaten. Five wins out of six came with the added bonus of five clean sheets out of six. It is not a coincidence that Per Mertesacker, who has become a clear leader of the defence, was absent in Manchester.

It is also telling that Arsène Wenger has been able to pick the same combination of goalkeeper and back four pretty regularly. They have developed a strong sense of trust and increased calmness as a group. Szczesny, Bacary Sagna, Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny and Kieran Gibbs have been selected as an ensemble in 14 of the 20 Premier League and Champions League games Arsenal have played this season. Their contribution is sometimes overlooked as the limelight has been drawn to Aaron Ramsey's blazing form, Mesut Özil's delicate assists, Olivier Giroud's hulking efforts or even Mathieu Flamini's growly hustling. But the defence has become an underrated key to Arsenal's hopes for the campaign.

It is asking a bit much to expect them to continue that meanness into the sequence of fixtures that lie ahead over the next two weeks.

Wenger is adamant his team would be foolish to take Hull City too lightly on Wednesday night, and after that comes free-flowing Everton, then critical away trips to Napoli and Manchester City. There is time for a brief pause for breath before José Mourinho brings Chelsea across town.

Wenger has been pondering how best to rotate to cope with the demands coming up. He doesn't want to over-rotate, as he is keen not to disrupt the team's rhythm. That is particularly the case in defence. In recent weeks any changes have been forced (illness in the case of Mertesacker and Gibbs for one game each). Sagna will miss the Hull game with a slight hamstring strain, and Carl Jenkinson will deputise.

Because the first-choice defence is so settled, it isn't easy for those who suddenly come in from the cold. Thomas Vermaelen performed well enough at Old Trafford, even if Mertesacker's aerial strength was missed, and Wenger revealed he feels bad for his captain that he can't easily get a run of games. "It is a difficult decision," he said of Vermaelen, "because of his attitude, influence at the club, and because he is a top-class player. He certainly suffers but he handles it with great dignity and great professionalism."

Similar could be said of Nacho Monreal who, like Vermaelen, harbours worries about a World Cup place due to lack of regular game time. Wenger says he is more likely to rotate a full-back than centre-back. "Central defence is less physical, it's a little bit less demanding on the physical side, it's more on the concentration side," he explained.

But such is the unit that has emerged this season, Wenger will be hoping that he can confidently jot down his first-choice rearguard as often as he can get away with.