Fans Gunning for Wenger

For anyone witnessing the scenes on Sunday at the Emirates Stadium, either live or by media outlets, they couldn’t have failed to see or feel the watershed moment when Arsenal Manager, Arsene Wenger, reached the lowest point of his incredible managerial career.

 It was the cringeworthy assessment from all within the walls of the Emirates, from Joe public through to the Arsenal captain himself, RVP, whose own cry of nooooo! Compounded the torrents of abuse cascading down from the stands.

For the first time in his tenure at the gunners, Wenger must have felt like he had not only lost the dressing room, but also the supporters. Make no mistake, this will become the defining moment for Wenger, as the pressure will begin to ratchet up from this point on and any slight problem will be magnified to pile further pressure on a man who, up until the start of this season, had seemed as safe as Sir Alex Ferguson in keeping his job for life.

Not any more, the odds on Wenger getting the sack before the end of the current campaign are still 50/1, but ask anyone which manager is under the spotlight at this time and Wengers name has to be near the top of the list.

The derision arose as much from his choice to take Oxlade-Chamberlain off as to the man he replaced him with, the not so dependable Andre Arshavin, Arsenal fans have long since lost patience with Arshavin over a string of sub standard displays and an attitude to match.

And so it was inevitable with the game finely poised at 1-1 and the boos from the stands barely subsided, that Arshavin should become the main player in what turned out to be the winning goal for Manchester United. As Antonio Valencia danced down the right wing unopposed, Arshavin laboured in finally catching up with him,  Valencia had the upper hand however and played a one–two leaving the Russian in his wake before supplying the killer pass for Welbeck to finish.

How Wenger must have wished the ground would open up ! What followed will surely spell the beginning of the end for the Arsenal Manager, no matter who or how many illustrious Football people offer the proverbial arm round the shoulder through the various forms of media.

The Arsenal fans have been starved of success for long enough (Imagine Sir Alex or any other manager being afforded the same timescale without silverware) ?

and what with the emergence of great rivals Tottenham as genuine title contenders and the gunners supporters showing a lack of faith, the excuses are starting to wear thin from Wenger, particularly if the crowd reaction at the final whistle at Sunday’s game are anything to go by.  

All the grass cuttings that gooners fans have swept under the lush emirates carpet through the last few years have built up to leave a big haystack in the middle of the pitch, and it’s going to prove hard for Wenger to go round or over it, so the only way left is for Wenger to go under, and that may be the answer if Arsenal are to restore the glory years.

John Collins

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