The future of the Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger seems to be a talking point – on both sides of the Atlantic.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
How Scenarios change in football. Fans of Premier League giants Arsenal may well remember the signs, banners and even planes that adorned their long-serving manager Arsene Wenger. Indeed, support via the slogan ‘In Arsene We Trust’ became synonymous with any disappointing defeat or mini-run of poor form.
However, the recent past presents an almost contrasting narrative from the stands at the Emirates stadium. Admittedly there remain supporters of Wenger, but the overriding sense of late is that the red side of North London – including former Wenger tutees such as Sol Campbell, Martin Keown and Robert Pires to name a few – are now prepared to criticise rather than defend the once lauded Wenger.
As if a campaign from your own supporters and past players was not significant enough, it appears – after banners emerged at a game in Major League Soccer last month – that the ‘Wenger Out’ momentum has well and truly reached a global audience over recent days.
Times Square, New York – often referred to as ‘The Crossroads of the World’ – is believed to have close to half a million visitors a day passing one of the busiest entertainment centres of the world; and the ‘Wenger Out’ slogan so regularly seen in the UK’s capital has now made an appearance on a rather noticeable Times Square billboard.
Wenger’s side, on the back of a 3-0 humbling against Crystal Palace last week, now face a huge task of qualifying for net season’s Champions League – as the Gunners are now in sixth place, seven points adrift of fourth-placed Manchester City, with eight games left of the campaign.
If Arsenal follow the most likely of paths and do not finish inside the top four places in the Premier League at the culmination of the season, it will be the first time in Wenger’s 20 years that the Frenchman has not guided the Gunners into the coveted Champions League.
Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil, Nacho Monreal, Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey look dejected after defeat to Crystal Palace
Whether this proves to be a factor in Wenger’s future at the club remains to be seen, as it is believed that there remains a two-year contract offer available for the 67-year-old, should he choose to sign.
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