Yet defeat on Saturday at Norwich, when victory would have pushed Arsenal into the Premier League's top four, was another painful illustration of the inconsistencies that have undermined recent challenges.
The decision to take a 14-minute flight from London Luton to Norwich even left the club under fire on Tuesday from Friends of the Earth, who described the club's travel arrangements as "absurd".
Wenger explained that the cancellation of direct trains from London to Norwich had been the reason for their change in plans, with a Friday afternoon coach journey up the A11 also ruled out.
"There was no train available, so in the end we decided to fly because, if we had to drive up on Friday afternoon, you never know how long it lasts," said Wenger.
The players certainly still performed like they were jet-lagged, with Wenger bemoaning a fourth game this season in which his team have fallen behind. "We made it easy for them," he said.
"Both games we have lost [against Chelsea as well as Norwich], we have given away basically. We have to be more efficient defensively than we have been in these two games.
"The margin of error we have now in front of us in the league is very limited and, with a result like that, we have put a huge pressure on our shoulders."
Such pressure is certain to be reflected in some pointed shareholders' questions on Thursday, particularly in the light of a summer transfer window that saw Robin van Persie and Alex Song depart and the club record another overall profit in their dealings.
Champions League performances, however, have retained their remarkable consistency.
Victories against Montpellier and Olympiakos have already placed Arsenal in a strong position to qualify from Group B but, Schalke represent their main competition to progress as group winners.
In Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Ibrahim Afellay, Arsenal are also facing two attacking regulars in the Dutch international squad and players who have, at different times, interested Wenger.
"Who hasn't looked at Huntelaar? "said Wenger. "He went to Real Madrid and then Milan as well and it seemed to work for him at both clubs and then he came to Germany.
"Now he looks to be even a regular player for Holland again. He is an intelligent player in the box. We have a job to do there."
With Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski still injured, Wenger also stressed that he would keep faith with goalkeeper Vito Mannone after his mistake gifted Norwich their winner on Saturday.
"The biggest quality of a keeper at the moment is experience," said Wenger. "Vito is getting experience. To put an even less experienced player in now I don't think would be the right thing."
Serge Gnabry, Arsenal's latest teenage hope, could also be involved against Schalke, with Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jack Wilshere all absent but potentially available for the match against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.
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