Boss: Deliver or you’re out
– Arsene Wenger (above) has warned his Arsenal flops that new recruits are on the way as the furious Gunners boss prepares for tonight’s League Cup semifinal against Chelsea.
Wenger’s side suffered one of the most chastening defeats of his increasingly tarnished reign on Sunday as Championship side Nottingham Forest won 4-2 in the FA Cup third round.
It was the first time Wenger had crashed out at that stage of the competition since arriving at the north London club in 1996.
Wenger’s decision to make nine changes backfired, with the understudies delivering a listless display at the City Ground.
The Frenchman prioritised the League Cup showdown with Chelsea by keeping his main men fresh for the first-leg clash at Stamford Bridge means he can ill-afford a damaging defeat against Antonio Conte’s men.
But regardless of Arsenal’s League Cup fortunes, Wenger has clearly had enough of another underachieving season which sees his team in danger of failing to qualify for the Champions League for a second successive year.
Wenger insists the Gunners, who last week signed Greek defender Konstantinos Mavropanos, will do further business during the transfer window in an effort to turn things around.
Unsettled Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez could be sold to Manchester City and Wenger is chasing several fresh faces.
Arsenal’s last League Cup-winning campaign came in the preWenger era in 1993, with the Frenchman’s team losing in both finals in 2007 and 2011.
Chelsea are bidding to reach the League Cup final for the first time since they last won the tournament in 2015. –
London