As a teary Jack Wilshere trudged off the Arsenal turf following the 3-1 defeat to Bayern Munich on Tuesday night, effectively condemning the Gunners to another trophyless season, many a supporter were wondering where the club go next.
The loss against the German powerhouse came just days after manager Arsene Wenger adopted a Travis Bickle-esque leather jacket, cast his eyes over at Neil Ashton and asked ‘Are you looking at me?’.
It’s a testing time for the north London side, who entered the Champions League encounter on the back of a demoralising 1-0 FA Cup defeat to Blackburn Rovers and has heaped yet more pressure on the Frenchman, with fans now believing he should either call it a day or be shown the exit door.
Either way, supporters need to accept that, until the summer anyway, Wenger will be the man at the helm. But where do the club go after that? It’s fair to say a summer of strengthening is of vital importance.
The defence bore a striking resemblance to a baby deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming Mercedes-Benz, while the midfield, Wilshere aside, showed an unwillingness to pick up the ball, such was the fear struck into them by Thomas Muller, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez.
This summer could well be the most important in the history of the club, especially if they miss out on Champions League football. The money is available to strengthen significantly, with Fernando Amorebieta supposedly the first of many possible arrivals at the Emirates Stadium.
Until then, it’s pivotal that fans throw their backing behind Wenger. Yes, he may not be the most popular of characters to some in north London, but continuously heaping on the pressure will likely have an adverse effect on the team and missing out on Champions League football next season could prove detrimental to the future of the club.