Sport
Wenger worry
The worst kept secret in football was confirmed when Arsene Wenger signed a new two-year deal at Arsenal, but will he see out his deal.
The saga over Wenger’s future was finally resolved this week, but to mixed reaction from Arsenal fans.
It came as no big surprise that Wenger decided to stay at Arsenal, but this season has arguably been his toughest and most challenging period in North London.
Football fans are a fickle bunch at best and once you have a section of the crowd calling for your head it is hard to win them round.
Wenger has been forced to deal with organised protest marches and discontent in the stands and it could become even more deafening if Wenger is not able to fulfil expectations in the next two seasons.
Wenger may have regained some favour by winning the FA Cup this season for a record-breaking seventh time, but finishing in fifth spot in the Premier League was his worst finish in his 21 years in charge of the Gunners.
Wenger’s proud record of never finishing outside the top four before this season and qualifying for the Champions League masked the club’s failure in mounting a title bid.
The Frenchman said after signing his new two-year deal that his aim was to win the title for the first time since 2004 and the pressure is on Wenger to deliver or else it could all end in tears.
There are a lot of wounds to be healed if Arsenal are to challenge for the title again and to make things worse the challenge is even harder with so many rivals challenging for the top prize in English football right now.
Wenger will be hoping their FA Cup success against Chelsea can prove to be a platform for success in the Premier League, but Arsenal have been here before having won the FA Cup three times out of the last four seasons and then been unable to sustain a serious bid for the title the following campaign.
The top six is arguably the most competitive it has ever been in the Premier League era so even just finishing in the top four is a real battle never mind winning the title.
Finishing in the top four was a given for Arsenal for the last 20 years so it will be interesting to see how they react at missing out on the riches of the Champions League next season.
Wenger faces a new challenge in persuading players to move to Arsenal this summer as he cannot offer them the lure of Champions League football for the first time in his tenure at the club.
The worry for Wenger and the Arsenal board is at the first sign of trouble next season will that spark a negative reaction and see the dissenting voices and protests aimed at the Frenchman again.
If Arsenal make a slow start next season and find themselves trailing in the wake of their rivals it would be very difficult to see Wenger seeing out his new two-year deal as any early season optimism will be replaced by pessimism.
It hard’s to know when to call things a day and going out as a winner with another FA Cup in the trophy cabinet was seen by some as the perfect way to bow out for Wenger and his supporters will be desperate that the Frenchman will not regret not taking that opportunity to go out as a winner in two years’ time.
Only time will tell if this was the right decision by Arsenal and Wenger to extend their long-standing association, but from next season there can be no more excuses.
