The Sun goes to town on the Frenchman.
According to the Sun‘s chief sports writer Steven Howard the time has come for Arsenal to sack Arsene Wenger after his side were convincingly beaten 3-2 by Stoke City on Saturday.
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The defeat leaves the Gunners in sixth place and 13 points off leaders Chelsea and Howard says that the club needs to realise that the Frenchman is now past it.
“It is time for the Arsenal board to start acting in the best interests of the club and their supporters instead of themselves,” Howard wrote.
“Not Arsenal Financial Corporation, either, but Arsenal Football Club.
“The situation out on the pitch has now plumbed such depths that pro and anti Arsene Wenger factions were reduced to fighting among themselves following yet another defeat at Stoke.
“There is conclusive evidence the Frenchman is way past his best.
“They are without a title for over a decade and boast only one flimsy trophy – the FA Cup – since 2005.
“Wenger’s long-term failings are known to everyone.
“There is his stubbornness, his belief he is always right and no one else can tell him what to do, plus a catastrophic record in the transfer market when it comes to defenders — his side have already leaked 18 goals in their first 15 games this season.
“Last season, there were the humiliations at City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Everton, where there were 20 goals conceded and just four scored.
“On top of this is the almost unbelievable record with injuries, statistics that suggest it is far more the type of player Wenger buys and poor injury-management than just bad luck.”
There is great variation in whether Wenger should stay at the Emirates Stadium among the fans, with several booing the 65-year-old as he boarded the team bus leaving the Britannia Stadium at the weekend – a video of which can be seen here.
However, many are still backing the man who has led them to three Premier League titles, five FA Cups and a Champions League final since he first took charge back in 1996.
The Sun are getting on Wenger’s back, but as CaughtOffside pointed out there are also many reasons why the veteran manager should be kept on by the North Londoners.
The jury is out, but whatever happens it is certainly a difficult period for the boss and his underachieving team.