It has been quite a long time since Arsenal won a piece of silverware, and to be honest, and rightfully so, Arsenal faithful are starting to reach the end of the line with their patience. The promise of spending money has been thrown into many conversations along the years, but the only thing Arsenal seems to be doing is dispatching some of their best quality players.
They not only have watched players like Robin van Persie, Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri walk out the exit door at the Emirates, but they have also failed to bring in proper coverage for the players they have let go.
So knowing that the pressure is continuing to mount year after year, Arsene Wenger still seems content with sticking with his ways. The same ways and methods that earned him such praise in his first eight seasons in North London.
He is not only a manager that helped revolutionize the Premier League with his ability to think outside the box, but he also added 11 titles to the Gunner's trophy case. Unfortunately for Arsenal fans, all those titles came far too long ago, and they now are left with questions and very few answers.
Since the year of the Invincibles, when Arsenal claimed the Premier League title for the last time, Wenger's side has struggled to get back to their glory days. They followed up that season with a second place finish in 2005/06, twelve points behind Chelsea who won the title. Since then, Arsenal has not been able to break into the top two again, which is concerning for many.
A team who enjoyed so much success in the late 90's and early 2000's has now fallen and is struggling to get back on its feet. So where do they go from here?
The media's involvement in the world of football can be a great thing, but it can also be a terrible thing. Arsenal has failed to claim silverware, and with the media making that more than obvious more often than not, the Arsenal players seem to have lost confidence and belief in themselves. At times, it looks as if the players do not believe they can pull it off. That mentality does not reflect the winning mentality that Arsene Wenger brought to Highbury upon his arrival in England.
He not only had players who could play with the best of them, but they all believed in themselves, and they believed in each other.
Getting that belief back within the squad should be priority number one for Arsene Wenger and everyone involved within the club. Once that has been established, they can then focus on the more important things, which is winning titles.
One way to get some belief and confidence in the squad is to win a title, even if it is the League Cup, all that matters is that the players will finally get a chance to see what it is like to win a title for Arsenal Football Club. They will also be able to see what it means to the fans, and their manager.
Unless they are able to really bring in some world class players, Arsenal will have to start from the bottom and work their way up when it comes to winning titles. Making the Premier League a main priority could be a recipe for disaster, as we have seen in the past.
While finishing in the top four is a must, Arsene Wenger should try to focus on winning either the Capital One Cup or the FA Cup, just to get his players to believe.
Competing with clubs like Manchester City and Manchester United is hard enough, then when you consider the financial backing that City has, or even Chelsea, things get even more difficult considering Arsenal is not much of a spending club.
Whether it is with Arsene Wenger, or without him, Arsenal needs to bring back the mentality from the days of Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira, Dennis Bergkamp and co. Until that is done, Arsenal will continue to struggle domestically, and on the European stage. In order for the Gunner's to get back on track, it will be a process, but it can and will be done.
Which competition do you think Arsenal should make their main priority?
