With the defeat last night at the hands of bitter rivals Tottenham, Arsenal are on the verge of finishing outside the top four for the first time under Wenger. Has Wenger lost his plot now? Should he call it a day to save his legacy?
After the dismissal of Bruce Rioch as manager of Arsenal FC back in August 1996, many expected Johan Cyruff to take his place. The appointment of Arsene Wenger as the new Arsenal manager came as a surprise to many, with the Evening Standard welcoming him with the headline “Arsene Who?”. From being an unknown figure in English football, Wenger now stands with a reputation that only few can boast about.
Wenger’s first season in-charge saw Arsenal finish third in the Premier League. In his second season, Arsenal managed to grab the Premier League and FA Cup double, only the second time in the club’s long history. Under Wenger, Arsenal fielded a concrete defence with names like Tony Adams, Steve Bould and Lee Dixon. This supported the midfield pairing of Vieira and Petit, with the “catalyst” Dennis Bergkamp up front.
For the next few seasons, Arsenal’s trophy cabinet was not something Wenger would have been proud of, but his patience eventually rewarded immensely. He strengthened his squad with club legends like Thierry Henry, Robert Pires and Sol Campbell. The 2001-02 season saw Arsenal grab its second double under Wenger, scoring in every league fixture and staying undefeated away from home.
The team’s impressive form went into the next couple of seasons as well, where Arsenal toppled rivals Manchester United’s record of staying unbeaten for 29 games and bettered it by staying unbeaten for an English record 49 games. “The Invincibles” had been created.
However, the 2005 FA Cup was the last time a trophy was added to Arsenal’s cabinet, and the repeated failure of the club to win trophies coupled with the departures of several influential players such as Pires, Vieira, Henry, Fabregas, Nasri, Song and Van Persie has raised many question marks on Wenger’s ability to deliver anymore. The relocation of the club’s home ground from Highbury to Emirates in the summer of 2006, meant that financial constraints have not allowed Wenger to freely dive in the transfer market.
It is true that under Wenger, Arsenal has consistently qualified for the Champion’s League, but die-hard Arsenal fans ask that is this enough? This season’s fourth place finish also seems to be highly doubtful after the 2-1 defeat against North London rivals Tottenham. Arsenal now stand at fifth place, five points behind Chelsea and with just 10 more games to go.
The questions above might be fairly easy for some to answer, it should be kept in mind that if under Wenger the club has been without a trophy for 8 long years, it is also probably Wenger who has the abilities to deliver again. The recent signing of long term contracts by Wilshere, Jenkinson, Gibbs, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott means that Wenger is looking at the future and wants to build a solid backbone of British players in the squad. This can be crucial for Arsenal’s long term success.
As an Arsenal faithful do you think Wenger is the man to carry Arsenal forward ?
Wenger’s first season in-charge saw Arsenal finish third in the Premier League. In his second season, Arsenal managed to grab the Premier League and FA Cup double, only the second time in the club’s long history. Under Wenger, Arsenal fielded a concrete defence with names like Tony Adams, Steve Bould and Lee Dixon. This supported the midfield pairing of Vieira and Petit, with the “catalyst” Dennis Bergkamp up front.
For the next few seasons, Arsenal’s trophy cabinet was not something Wenger would have been proud of, but his patience eventually rewarded immensely. He strengthened his squad with club legends like Thierry Henry, Robert Pires and Sol Campbell. The 2001-02 season saw Arsenal grab its second double under Wenger, scoring in every league fixture and staying undefeated away from home.
The team’s impressive form went into the next couple of seasons as well, where Arsenal toppled rivals Manchester United’s record of staying unbeaten for 29 games and bettered it by staying unbeaten for an English record 49 games. “The Invincibles” had been created.
However, the 2005 FA Cup was the last time a trophy was added to Arsenal’s cabinet, and the repeated failure of the club to win trophies coupled with the departures of several influential players such as Pires, Vieira, Henry, Fabregas, Nasri, Song and Van Persie has raised many question marks on Wenger’s ability to deliver anymore. The relocation of the club’s home ground from Highbury to Emirates in the summer of 2006, meant that financial constraints have not allowed Wenger to freely dive in the transfer market.
It is true that under Wenger, Arsenal has consistently qualified for the Champion’s League, but die-hard Arsenal fans ask that is this enough? This season’s fourth place finish also seems to be highly doubtful after the 2-1 defeat against North London rivals Tottenham. Arsenal now stand at fifth place, five points behind Chelsea and with just 10 more games to go.
The questions above might be fairly easy for some to answer, it should be kept in mind that if under Wenger the club has been without a trophy for 8 long years, it is also probably Wenger who has the abilities to deliver again. The recent signing of long term contracts by Wilshere, Jenkinson, Gibbs, Ramsey, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott means that Wenger is looking at the future and wants to build a solid backbone of British players in the squad. This can be crucial for Arsenal’s long term success.
As an Arsenal faithful do you think Wenger is the man to carry Arsenal forward ?
