The everlasting question which has been on every Arsenal fan’s mind this season is whether Arsene Wenger will extend his contract this summer, and a neutral has kindly offered his opinion on the subject.
I have heard many Arsenal fans call for Arsene Wenger to leave the club this season, as well as seeing the banners being held up for all to see during the live matches, and I cant help but think that these fans have expectations beyond some realities.
One fan even claimed to have been a fan for 15 years, and was insisting that Wenger’s reign was simply unacceptable, which I had to laugh at. My team were never challenging for the Premier League title when I began to follow them, and the joy I would experience when they would reach an unlikely cup final was immense, so I’m sorry if I don’t feel any remorse for a fan who only followed a team when they were one of only two top sides challenging year on year, before enjoying an unbeatable Invincibles campaign in only his third term of supporting the side.
Don’t get me wrong, I do not disagree with those fans who call for change, as the running of the club does appear strongly for business purposes, instead of for the fans and the glory as Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City seem to be focused on. The reason I don’t believe Wenger should be that change however, is simply that he is doing as he is asked, and meeting the club’s realistic expectations.
Every summer, each club’s board of directors will sit down and discuss their objectives for the coming term, and outline how they will aim to achieve those targets, and I don’t believe that the Frenchman has ever arrived at this meeting, and been told that he is expected to win the division.
In my view, Wenger had pre-season targets of challenging for the league title up until the Manchester City and Chelsea revolutions, and has since been ordered to keep inside the top four, which have all been met. The Frenchman has been ordered to sell a number of key players in order to fund the state-of-the-art Emirates Stadium, which he has accepted whilst still keeping the club in the Champions League. Upon completion of the bulk of the financing of the stadium, the club has emerged with one of the biggest incomes in the world, but the owners have so far failed to use that wealth to invest in the squad, although it could be argued that splashing out would not guarantee a title win regardless.
Can Arsenal outspend Chelsea, City or United? No they cant, so why should their fans expect them to outperform them?
Yes they should be able to outperform their neighbours and Leicester City, but they are also cursed by a vast amount of injuries year upon year, and I can’t blame those on Wenger either.
From a Neutral viewpoint, Wenger is not the problem, and further on from that, with your club’s continual failure to challenge for the big players in the transfer market, the decision to let him go this summer will see your side enter some seriously dark times. Not to mention the strong reality that his exit this summer will likely be followed by Ozil and Alexis Sanchez.
My respect for Wenger and love for the Premier League leaves me wanting the Arsenal boss to extend his stay, in hope of another seriously strong top six for the new season, while my hate for some Arsenal fans attitude leaves me smug at the prospect of his exit.
I firmly believe Arsenal need a change in ownership before you will ever see them challenge for the PL title in post-Wenger times.
Does this supposed ‘neutral’ fan make any valid points? Is he wrong to assume that the budget is above Wenger’s control? Do us fans have unrealistic expectations with such big-spending rivals?
Pat J – Neutral view has asked to remain anonymous
Sidenote, can you guess which team he supports?