Sport360° view: Arsenal must decide if Wenger is a legend or liability

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  • The strange dichotomy that is Arsenal and Arsene Wenger was perfectly illustrated in the build-up and aftermath of the Frenchman’s 1,000th game in charge of the north London club.

    Prior to kick-off, his legacy was being deconstructed, debated and the Frenchman lauded as a visionary who has radically changed the make-up and landscape of the Premier League and Arsenal FC.

    In the aftermath of the Gunners’ 6-0 shellacking at the hands of Chelsea the discussion reverted to, ‘is he worthy of a new contract at the Emirates?’

    From legend to title liability, it’s a strange and unique situation the Arsenal board encounter.

    Here is a manager who has shaped the culture and ethos of Arsenal, delivered some of the most successful periods in the club’s history, signed some of their greatest-ever players and produced their most exhilarating football.

    He has worked under severe financial constraints, seen some of his best players sold and quite simply no other manager could operate under those restrictions and deliver 16 successive seasons of Champions League football.

    However, the swift counter to that school of thought is he is in charge of one of England’s most successful football clubs yet has not won a trophy since 2005.

    He’s also blind to his team’s obvious shortcomings such as a lack of leadership, a truly world class combative midfielder and a dearth of strikers. 

    And while his frugality in the transfer market is admirable, he refuses to address the real issues. Missing out on Gonzalo Higuain, a striker, and then signing a playmaker in Mesut Ozil, being one of them.

    The FA Cup should address the first point, although Wigan, Hull and Sheffield United will disagree.

    But it is perhaps the second which raises enough concerns to at least consider the theory that Wenger may no longer be right for Arsenal.

    They, of course, remain in the title mix, seven points behind leaders Chelsea, but as away fixtures against the Blues, Liverpool and Manchester City have displayed, the gulf is realistically more than two wins and a draw.

    At the end of November, querying whether Wenger is worthy of a new deal would have seemed ridiculous.

    Against the financial might of Chelsea and City the Gunners sat seven points clear. Yet, they have stuttered and stalled and look destined for third or fourth.

    It raises the question; is Wenger too comfortable?

    Champions League football is sure, once again, to be confirmed but the title resembles almost a secondary consideration.

    There seems no pressure from above and he will certainly never be sacked, so is that transmitted into the players?

    Even Wenger has begun saying that third is enough, and that third is successful. 

    But, was there enough in the first half of the season to suggest a coherent title campaign can be mounted next season?

    Wenger believes this.

    There is always one more season, enough development to imply they’re not that far away. And that’s as much the problem as the lack of silverware.

    For every question, Wenger has an answer and his legacy to call upon.

    It’s now down to the Arsenal board to determine if that’s still enough.

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