Soccer/Football

This year does seem different. Usually Arsenal start poorly and finish strong enough to win the Wenger Cup (4th place) at least. This year though, they started strongly and then utterly collapsed. Even worse is the hopeless way in which they collapsed in the away matches to the top teams.

I don't know why Wenger isn't learning from those defeats. He continually employs the same tactics and it's made them utterly predictable, defending with that suicidal high line. There's no leadership on the pitch because he's not buying the right players.

I do think it's time for Wenger to go. I've thought so for a while. He caused a revolution in English football when he first arrived with his focus on fitness and nutrition to overturn the smoking and drinking culture of those times, but Arsenal are now no longer even stagnating under him; they're going backwards.

To be fair, some of this is due to the ownership who clearly care nothing for football and see the club only as a money-making investment. They couldn't care less about winning things as long the Champions League and TV money keep rolling in.

Having Everton finish 4th might therfore be the best thing for Arsenal in the long term, and it seems increasingly likely. Wenger hasn't signed a new contract yet, and my guess is that, as long as Arsenal win the FA Cup to allow him to leave with some dignity, he'll be stepping down by the end of the year.

I don't know who I want to replace him. Someone like Rodgers or Martinez would be great if another can be found. Don't know one myself.