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Another trophyless season for Wenger
Source: Agencies |
February 21, 2013, Thursday
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LONG-SERVING Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger can do very little to salvage even pride from what looks like being another trophyless season after Tuesday's 1-3 Champions League home defeat by Bayern Munich.
The last-16 first-leg loss exposed the lack of depth which has contributed to the Londoners going out of both domestic cup competitions, lying fifth in the English Premier League and looking poised to bow out of Europe.
Bundesliga leader Bayern had the luxury of bringing on Dutch World Cup runner-up Arjen Robben and prolific Germany striker Mario Gomez in the second half but a glance at Arsenal's bench showed no such riches and Wenger's hands are largely tied.
The Frenchman, at Arsenal since 1996, failed to bring in attacking quality in the January transfer window and the club looks doomed to an eighth season without a trophy, leading fans to question whether it still has the right man in charge.
The indefatigable Jack Wilshere is carrying the team almost alone but the midfielder jumped to the defense of Wenger, who won three EPL titles in 1998, 2002 and 2004. "It's nothing to do with the manager - he puts us on the pitch, it's down to us to perform," he said.
However, celebrity fans such as British US talk show host Piers Morgan and golfer Ian Poulter are among those to have called for Wenger's departure and it is difficult to see what the manager can do to ease the pressure.
Not even a 2-0 win in Munich in three weeks' time will be enough, though that looks highly unlikely given Arsenal's current malaise.
Wenger has had money to spend yet decided not to and has watched his side lose in the League Cup quarterfinals to fourth-tier Bradford City and go out of the FA Cup last weekend after a woeful 0-1 home loss to second-division Blackburn Rovers.
The Gunners are four points off the fourth and final Champions League spot in the Premier League and if Wenger cannot reach that goal the calls for change will reverberate.
The last-16 first-leg loss exposed the lack of depth which has contributed to the Londoners going out of both domestic cup competitions, lying fifth in the English Premier League and looking poised to bow out of Europe.
Bundesliga leader Bayern had the luxury of bringing on Dutch World Cup runner-up Arjen Robben and prolific Germany striker Mario Gomez in the second half but a glance at Arsenal's bench showed no such riches and Wenger's hands are largely tied.
The Frenchman, at Arsenal since 1996, failed to bring in attacking quality in the January transfer window and the club looks doomed to an eighth season without a trophy, leading fans to question whether it still has the right man in charge.
The indefatigable Jack Wilshere is carrying the team almost alone but the midfielder jumped to the defense of Wenger, who won three EPL titles in 1998, 2002 and 2004. "It's nothing to do with the manager - he puts us on the pitch, it's down to us to perform," he said.
However, celebrity fans such as British US talk show host Piers Morgan and golfer Ian Poulter are among those to have called for Wenger's departure and it is difficult to see what the manager can do to ease the pressure.
Not even a 2-0 win in Munich in three weeks' time will be enough, though that looks highly unlikely given Arsenal's current malaise.
Wenger has had money to spend yet decided not to and has watched his side lose in the League Cup quarterfinals to fourth-tier Bradford City and go out of the FA Cup last weekend after a woeful 0-1 home loss to second-division Blackburn Rovers.
The Gunners are four points off the fourth and final Champions League spot in the Premier League and if Wenger cannot reach that goal the calls for change will reverberate.
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