8JKFE M@CC8
A SEASON without a trophy. Fans openly protesting against him. A veiled attack from the chairman in his final programme notes.
Then on the final day of the season, a first Premier League hat-trick from the pilloried striker he claims is good enough to spearhead his side lifts Arsenal into their best finish for 11 years.
Not only that, but popular club captain Mikel Arteta is given a brief cameo as a late substitute and is credited with the final goal of the season.
What a charmed life Arsene Wenger leads!
“It is a positive feeling,” he said afterwards. “I am not masochist enough to love being booed but I am in a public job and I accept criticism. I think I have proved in 20 years that I accept being criticised.
“My target is to keep everyone happy, unfortunately I don’t manage to do it always.
“We did not start the season saying we want to finish above Tottenham. But we wanted to win the league and I agree with you there is frustration because we didn’t win the league.
“But today, we could only play with the target we had and that was to finish second. We achieved it. For a while our supporters have not been going home happy, today they had some satisfaction.”
So when the Arsenal fans sang at the end “It’s happened again” they were not referring to Arsenal failing to mount a sustained title challenge or exiting the Champions League at the first knockout stage for the seventh year in the row.
No, they were celebrating claiming the north London bragging rights for a 21st successive season as Mauricio Pochettino was once again thwarted in his bid to topple Wenger off his perch.
Coming into the game, the season had seemed to be ending in an apologetic whimper, with chairman Sir Chips Keswick promising more next season in his programme notes.
“Everyone at the club shares the disappointment with the way the 2015-16 season ended,” he wrote. “As our manager Arsene Wenger has said many times, our goal is to make you, our fans, happy and proud.
“We therefore share your frustration in ultimately falling short in the Premier League title race. That’s what we all want to achieve, and will be our aim next season.”
For the most part, it was largely muted at the Emirates.
When the unmarked Olivier Giroud headed in Nacho Monreal’s cross for the opening goal with just five minutes on the famous clock, it always looked to be enough to see off a side who had managed 11 defeats and goalless draw in 12 games.
Chances came and went as a quiet nervousness built among Arsenal fans, whose concerns were eased with news of every Newcastle goal.
Finally the players caught the mood, raising spirits – and optimism for next season, no doubt – notch by notch with a late goal flurry.
Mesut Ozil cut the ball back for Giroud to force in his second at the near post and Hector Bellerin put him through for his third.
Wenger rang the changes to give Arteta his swansong and the midfielder’s shot moments a later came down off the crossbar and went in off Villa goalkeeper Mark Bunn.
It was technically an own-goal but the PA announcer was not going to let the facts get in the way of a mood of celebration.
Although a hamstring injury had kept out Theo Walcott, he will be fine for this summer’s Euros if selected today and Jack Wilshere even managed 69 minutes – scrutinised intently by Roy Hodgson in his first start of the season.
After the final whistle, as the various children of Arsenal players entertained the crowd with a kickabout – keep an eye out for Enzo Cazorla in years to come – Wenger walked round the pitch with his head and his hand held high.
“There’s only one Arsene Wenger,” sang the crowd in unison. He certainly knows how to keep them happy. For now.
ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): ASTON VILLA (4-3-3): Booked: Referee: Goals: