Ray Parlour has urged Arsenal to back manager Unai Emery in the transfer market to mend the team's defensive frailties.
The Gunners' outstanding 22-game unbeaten run was ended by a 3-2 defeat to Southampton on Sunday.
Charlie Austin scored the winner in a thriller at Southampton
Arsenal were without a host of defensive players for the game - Shkodran Mustafi and Sokratis Papastathopoulos were suspended, Rob Holding is out for the season, Sead Kolasinac was ruled out with a thigh injury and Hector Bellerin could now also be out until the new year after picking up a calf problem.
Club captain Laurent Koscielny returned for his first Premier League start since April, but it was only his second game back from injury and he was well off the pace as Southampton took advantage.
The Frenchman was the only recognised centre-back in their back three, with Granit Xhaka shifted onto the left and Stephan Lichtsteiner on the right, and their vulnerability in the air was pounced upon by Southampton, who scored three headed goals.
Granit Xhaka was used as a makeshift defender against Southampton
But, despite their lack of options against the Saints, Emery's side appear to have had an 'attack if the best form of defence' mentality throughout the season. Arsenal have the worst defensive record of the Premier League's top five teams [23 goals conceded] but have scored the same number of goals as leaders Liverpool [37 goals scored].
And Parlour believes they urgently need new signings to reinforce their back-line.
"Arsenal have got to sort their defence out," Parlour told the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast.
"To go 22 games unbeaten, it was a great run and it was always going to come to an end.
"Unai Emery, I always say you've got to give a new manager a couple of transfer windows and he's done so well already and the progress from Arsenal has been excellent.
"But Arsenal will look at their defence and say we do need massive surgery.
"Attacking wise, well you look at the bench yesterday - Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey, Alexandre Lacazette, it's not a bad bench to bring those sort of players on.
"But they've still got a buy a few more better quality players at the back."
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