Be careful what you wish for

It is the end of an era at Arsenal as Arsene Wenger prepares to call time on his 22-year career in charge of the Gunners, but supporters should be careful what they wish for.

Arsenal has not been a happy place for a while, with the club struggling to keep up with the teams around them.

Competing against a dominant Manchester United was hard enough but once Chelsea and Manchester City got in on the act, backed by owners willing to invest at a level far greater than anything Wenger had, the cracks began to show.

I will miss the Frenchman, though. He revolutionised English football, guided his team to major trophies, and his ‘invincibles’ team was one of the finest of the Premier League era.

Maintaining that level is a near-impossible task. United couldn’t do it after Ferguson, and I believe Arsenal could struggle once Wenger goes.

He has kept his team up there, in Europe every season, and the mark of a manager for me is always whether the club is in a better position when he leaves than when he arrived.

I don’t think that is up for debate in this case. They play in a wonderful stadium and the football is fantastic.

If I’m being critical, his recent teams have lacked a physical edge.

However, they always tried to play in an attractive way. I’ll miss watching them.