Vultures circle Wenger
Manager hints at Arsenal end game
ADOWNBEAT Arsene Wenger said he has decided on his Arsenal future and would reveal all soon after his side slumped to a dismal 3-1 defeat at West Bromwich Albion yesterday.
Two goals by Craig Dawson and one from substitute Hal Robson-kanu meant Arsenal have lost four of their last five Premier League games – the worst run in Wenger’s 21-year rule at the north London club.
Arsenal could slip to sixth place today if Manchester United beat Middlesbrough, piling more pressure on Wenger, and fans – even his most loyal disciples – are losing patience.
Banners calling for him to go were evident among the travelling fans while above, circling like a vulture, a small plane trailed the slogan “NO CONTRACT #WENGEROUT”.
Wenger appeared as deflated as his team afterwards when facing reporters.
“Don’t worry, I know what I will do in my future,” Wenger told reporters. “You will soon know. Very soon. You will see.”
It was a familiar tale of woe at the Hawthorns where Arsenal enjoyed 77 percent of the possession but managed only two shots on target – one of which was Alexis Sanchez’s equaliser. Lacking any spark up front and in disarray at the back with Dawson given a free run to head in two corners, Arsenal are in danger of sliding out of contention for a top-four finish. That has never happened under Wenger, whose last Premier League title was 13 years ago.
“We are in a unique bad patch that we never had in 20 years, we lose game after game at the moment and for me that is much more important than my future,” Wenger said.
“We will have a big fight, I agree, for the Champions League and it will be very difficult now.”
Former Arsenal great Thierry Henry, summarising events for Sky Sports, went further, castigating the players.
“I don’t think that’s enough. Seventy percent of the ball and they don’t do anything with it,” the Frenchman, part of the last Arsenal side to win the title in 2003-04, said. “They were nowhere near the desire, the attitude and commitment you have to have to win a game in the Premier League. Arsenal have to answer all the questions. No one wants to see Arsenal play like that, especially me.”
Meanwhile, runaway league leaders Chelsea continued their relentless progress, moving 13 points clear at the top of the table as Gary Cahill scored a late winner in a hard-earned 2-1 win at Stoke City.
Even without the injured Eden Hazard, Antonio Conte’s men, triumphed again when Cahill struck three minutes from time to make amends for giving away a first-half penalty.
Leicester City continued their revival under new manager Craig Shakespeare as a 3-2 win at West Ham gave the English champions their first away league win of the season.
The visitors produced a superb first half as early goals by Riyad Mahrez and centre back Robert Huth gave them a 2-0 lead and Jamie Vardy made it 3-1 after Manuel Lanzini had pulled one back with a brilliant free kick. – Reuters