Time to end the corrosive uncertainty
Whether he is staying or going, Wenger’s future must be clarified to end suffocating status quo
Whatever the final decision, the need for clarity is screaming out. The ‘wait and see’ policy that Arsène Wenger carried off before his last contract ran down was sustained by no discernible slide in performance, but he can no longer claim with a straight face that the uncertainty over his position has not affected the team. Arsenal look paralysed and, amid their worst Premier League sequence in Wenger’s 21 years as manager, it is sufficiently bad for there to be no reason to fear the repercussions of publicly announcing either decision. Far worse would be to plod on as they are, fall out of the top four and probably also suffer a drubbing in their FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City. The status quo has become suffocating and, whether Wenger does indeed stay or go, certainty would result in some release of tension.
Granted, it will be rather more difficult to manage the reaction to the now probable outcome of Wenger staying but if that was judged to be in the best interests of Arsenal then the time has come for the club to front up and get on with it.
It goes without saying that supporters have every right to voice their opinion – even if the abusive fringe has become utterly cringeworthy – but it is equally The players are in need of a clear message even more than the fans obvious that the club’s directors cannot be led by people wielding banners or commissioning planes to fly over football grounds. They are there to lead and, if they support Wenger’s desire to fight on, they should tell us why it can be different over the next two years and start the very difficult and necessary process of renewal.
On Saturday’s sorry evidence, the players have subconsciously seized on all the ambiguity to excuse a series of feeble performances. They are in need of a strong and clear message, even more than the fans. Given Wenger was genuinely undecided before this nightmare run, the increasing sense from outside the club is that he should leave at the end of the season. Again, if that was the view of Wenger and the board, it would now be better made public. In normal circumstances there might be some fear of the players switching off but that risk has become far outbalanced by the negative impact of the uncertainty. Any announcement that this would be Wenger’s last season at Arsenal would of course be instantly transformative. The boos would turn to cheers, the dissent would give way to respect and the division would be superseded by a wave of unity and desire to send Wenger off with what could still be two landmark achievements. A seventh FA Cup would represent a competition record while a 21st top-four finish may never be repeated. Both feel like outside bets just now but the odds would surely be improved markedly by an announcement that ends the current limbo. It has long been a personal view that Wenger needed to show he could again win the biggest prizes during this contract – and it has become hard not to fear how it will end – but there are risks whatever the decision. Indeed, the biggest danger by far is for the club to sit back and allow this void of uncertainty to fuel off-field anger and further on-field ineptitude.