What a disastrous weekend for Arsenal and the fans.
The Gunners crashed out of the FA Cup quarter-finals to Watford at the Emirates yesterday afternoon – a game, which on paper, they were favourites to win.
However, goals from Odion Ighalo and Adlene Guedioura, before Danny Welbeck bagged a late consolation goal, heaped further pressure on Arsene Wenger, and the majority of the Emirates faithful look to have finally had enough with the Frenchman’s failures this season, myself included.
What we have seen this season from our club has simply not been up to standards, and many will agree with me when I say that Wenger’s time at the club has finally come to an end after 20 years – and no, it’s not just because of our exit in the FA Cup to Watford, but it certainly did contribute.
We are highly likely to get knocked out of the Champions League in midweek to Barcelona and while the chance to be crowned Premier League champions come May is still mathematically alive, many would agree that they will also fail to win it due to the inconsistency within the squad.
Wenger has done great things for the club in the past, but he has become stale in his tactics and philosophy, while other rivals have managed to adapt. The Frenchman’s team selection at times have also been baffling, especially the decision to rest his best side for the first leg against Barcelona rather than beat Hull at the Emirates beforehand in the FA Cup – only for him to send on the big guns against the Championship when time was running out. What was even funnier was that our ‘A’ side lost 2-0 to Barcelona without the La Liga giants going into second gear!
The FA Cup was our best chance of winning a trophy this season, despite mathematically being in the title race. But this was disappointingly dashed by Watford of all teams (sorry Hornet fans), along with any hope of winning anything realistically this term.
The players do have a lot to answer for as well, but ultimately, it comes down to Wenger – he’s the manager. He’s the one in control. He’s the one making decisions. He’s the one getting paid £7-8 million-a-year! He has to be the one getting it right, and unfortunately he hasn’t done so, and its finally starting to get on every Arsenal fans’ nerves and frustrating them as well.
So what will happen to Wenger? Probably nothing. As we all know, he will NEVER be sacked by the board, although they may ask him if he wants to step down. One thing is for certain, Arsene decides when he leaves, no one else.
His current contract runs out at the end of the season but it has been reported that a new three-year deal has been offered.
I will finish off by saying that even if Arsenal do win the Premier League title come the end of the season, Wenger still has to go for reasons above.
So I ask you reading this – does Wenger need to step down over the summer and let someone with fresh, new ideas take the reigns? Or is he still the right man to take this club forward?
