EPL 2016/17: 5 reasons why Arsenal should not reward Arsene Wenger with a new contract

Modified May 06, 2017 13:15 GMT

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 30: Arsene Wenger, Manager of Arsenal looks on during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at White Hart Lane on April 30, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images) — *Arsene Wenger has been an institution at Arsenal, but is his time finally up?*

#2 Every season under Wenger follows the same pattern

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 30: Laurent Koscielny of Arsenal and Nacho Monreal of Arsenal plead with referee Michael Oliver after he awards Tottenham Hotspur a penalty during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at White Hart Lane on April 30, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) — *Recent seasons at Arsenal under Wenger have followed a painful pattern, complete with a “winter slump”*

Ever since their 2006 move to the Emirates Stadium, every Arsenal season under Wenger has followed a similar pattern. It goes something like this: sell a top player or two to a richer club – perhaps a rival – in the close season and replace them with cheaper alternatives while Wenger promises that he has the squad depth to cope. Start off in ropey fashion, hit form in the autumn, wildly crash in the winter months and appear to slide down the table before a late surge takes them up the table and into the top four.

Sure, it’s good enough for a Champions League finish each season, but a club the size of Arsenal should have higher ambitions, namely winning the Premier League and attempting to win the Champions League too.

The fact is that Arsenal’s seasonal slump usually coincides with the knockout stages of the Champions League – witness their awful capitulation against Bayern Munich this year – and also with the most important stage of the league season. It means they’ll probably never win the league while the pattern continues.

To break the pattern, the London club simply must dispense of Wenger. As the old saying goes, only a fool keeps repeating something that doesn’t work, hoping for different results. And to get different results, a change at the top is needed.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

Know More

Edited by Staff Editor