The sooner Arsenal takes action, the better for everyone involved. I believe now is the perfect time to make big changes.
Arsenal players were silent after being demolished by Liverpool, 4-0, last Sunday. It was the second successive Premier League defeat for Arsene Wenger’s side.
Wenger had this to say about the situation. “The result is a consequence of our performance. We were not good enough. We were beaten everywhere physically. In the end, I believe we made it easier for them, and the mistakes gave them a cushion.”
My major concern isn’t just the team’s awful performance. It’s Wenger’s misplaced loyalty to certain players.
Sanchez, Ozil, and Ox Chamberlain, in particular, continue to let down Wenger, especially in big games. They’ve shown no desire or commitment to play for the club. Body language shows they’re done.
Obviously, this is exactly the kind of performance you get when players try to force their way out of a club. The trio has less than one year left on their contracts and they’re all without new contracts from Arsenal.
But the club is at fault, too. Arsenal has put these three players in a strong position to dictate their future. Ox Chamberlain has benefitted from that stance. He has succeeded in sealing a deal to join Liverpool.
And this is not the first time that Arsenal has been in this kind of situation. The likes of Van Persie, Nasri, Clichy, and Fabregas left the club under similar circumstance.
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There’s no doubt that Wenger is facing the biggest challenge of his coaching career. I’m sure he’s pondering why he extended his contract in the summer instead of leaving. And while Wenger has repeatedly expressed his determination to take Arsenal to the next level, I wonder how he intends to do that when it’s obvious he can’t keep his squad together.
To be sure, Arsenal’s performance against Liverpool raises more questions than answers, and the call for Wenger to step down is most likely to intensify. Fans were shouting, ‘Wenger Out,’ during the game at Merseyside.
It remains to be seen how Wenger intends to fix things. Players must take responsibility for the appalling display against Liverpool. But the manager is responsible for providing a platform so that players can give club leadership what it needs.
The big question is: What is the board doing about this? This problem has been lingering for years, and yet nothing has been done about it. It’s clear there has to be a change of manager if the club is to move forward, but it looks as though those responsible for the club are comfortable with the way things are. Wenger doesn’t seem to face the same type of pressure managers face at other big clubs.
Even though the season just started, Arsenal is on the verge of another major crisis. The sooner Arsenal takes action, the better for everyone involved, including fans. Now is the perfect time for big changes.
