Arsene Wenger: Should he stay or should he go?

Sport360 staff 00:07 21/03/2017
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  • Perhaps more so than ever before, Arsene Wenger’s job at Arsenal is under serious threat.

    Despite the board’s faith in him and the power he clearly possesses, the mood among the fans and apparently the players as well is at an all-time low.

    Whether he should stay or go is a question that still divides opinion though.

    Here, we look at both sides of the argument.

    Which stance do you take?

    Share with us your thoughts by commenting below, using #360fans on Twitter or getting in touch via Facebook.

    WHY HE MAY STAY

    Opportunity to redeem himself

    If Arsenal fail to make the top four and miss out on the FA Cup final then ending his reign in a massive failure would be a huge shame.

    Staying on for an extra year allows Wenger the opportunity to make amends by uniting his side for one last charge. It offers a compromise knowing the end is in sight with the chance to go out on a high. He deserves that at least.

    Time to find a replacement

    As Man United found out at their peril, chaos can ensue in the aftermath of such a heavily-felt exit. There’s clearly no Plan B for Arsenal right now and no obvious replacement with Dortmund boss Thomas Tuchel a potential candidate.

    However, has he truly proven himself in Germany? An extra year would give the club a chance to properly survey their options.

    Lack of leadership

    As one Twitter user humorously pointed out, Wenger is practically self-employed. Stan Kroenke and co. have little to no input in terms of the day-to-day running of the club and it’s given Wenger a free reign.

    The lack of leadership within the current structure means letting Wenger go now will create a power vacuum. Another year allows the club to plug the gap.

    WHY HE SHOULD GO

    It’s too comfortable

    Ultimately, Arsenal have allowed second best – in reality top four – to become the top prize. Champions League qualification has for too long been regarded positively and the only way to change that comfortable mindset is to shake things up.

    Stars like Mesut Ozil have been allowed to coast through seasons and a tougher party line is required.

    Transfer record decline

    It’s really no surprise that Wenger reeled out perpetual excuses in order not to spend big, because with money in hand he’s invested worse than a lottery winner.

    Granit Xhaka has represented this season’s example with the £35million (Dh159m) splashed out on the midfielder proving imprudent. But he’s not alone with Danny Welbeck and Gabriel other poor buys.

    Arsenal have lost their identity

    Football clubs are mirror images of their managers. Antonio Conte’s Chelsea are the embodiment of the Italian’s philosophy and that used to be the case with Arsenal and Wenger.

    But not anymore. The Gunners of old were pretty but potent. Now they’re passive and penetrable. The club needs a new direction and that can only come with a change of leadership.

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