Fellow Arsenal fans. Last season, I wrote about how the first 5-1 loss to Bayern Munich was my low point in 45 years as an Arsenal supporter. To see us being totally humiliated by a Bayern team, which wasn’t even one of their best in recent years, was a nightmare. But seeing for the first time several Arsenal players not even giving close to 100% in a Champions League game was no less than a disgrace, and I firmly believed, that would and should be the end of Wenger’s reign. Surely he would himself admit that it was time to step down, and if not, he would be sacked.
Obviously, I was dead wrong. Somehow he is still our manager, and somehow we have now reached an even lower point. We got totally humiliated by Liverpool, which of course is a club with a great history (let’s give them that), but which is also a club, which we have been better than for almost the entire period of the Premier League. And honestly, their team is no more than a group of good players, and their only world class player was not even in the team. Not only did we get humiliated, most of us actually felt or even knew beforehand, that we wouldn’t stand a chance. So we can’t put it down as a just a fluke accident. It was a logical consequence of our own shortcomings. And that how low, we have fallen now.
Personally, I have no doubt, that these shortcomings are brought on by our manager. For years he has failed to strengthen the team in the right areas, and he has failed to organize the team better, so we wouldn’t be so easy to score against. Yes, I admit that the players yesterday and also in other games could be blamed, but ultimately it is the manager, who must be replaced, if several players aren’t motivated to perform.
So now, we have a situation where:
We are nowhere near the top 4-5 clubs in England
There is absolutely no sign of improvement
Players don’t give 100% when playing
Several of our best players want out
Fans are rightly infuriated
Absolutely no neutrals believe we are a force to be reckoned with
The contractual situation is generally a big mess
Apparently Wenger himself doesn’t seem to have the dignity to step down, and that leaves the big question; How, or maybe why, can the management of the club accept this? It really is beyond me, and I can’t understand it!
I often see people claiming it is because the owners only care about money. But even if that is the case, it really doesn’t make sense. Surely there is more money to be had for the owners, if we are one of the top clubs. As I see it, nearly all sources of revenue are dependent on how the team performs over time. It certainly goes for:
TV revenue, both national and international
Sponsorship
Merchandise sale
Ticket revenue
In fact, I would go as far as to say, there is quite a big alignment of goals for players and fans, who want sporting success, and for the owners only interested in money. So, I really don’t believe it is a big part of our problems, that the owners want to make money. It may in fact be good. But what is then the main reason for our problems?
Could it really be, that Arsene Wenger personally has become so “big” at our club, that no one actually takes charge and put things right?
P.S. I have no shares in the club, I am really just a frustrated fan, who hope and pray, something will change for the better.
AndersS