A vast number of Arsenal supporters have been braying for Jurgen Klopp to replace Wenger, writes Neil Ashton.
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London - There will come a time when Arsenal will seriously start thinking about the man to succeed Arsene Wenger.
That moment just hasn’t arrived yet.
Make no mistake the club’s chief executive Ivan Gazidis was as worried as the 60 000 Arsenal fans who had to swallow another defeat against Manchester United at the Emirates last Saturday. Gazidis, unlike a cerebral caller to talkSPORT pleading with Wenger to walk away on Monday evening, has been playing a straight bat in public.
This, then, was the chance for Wenger to hit the critics for six after successive defeats in the Barclays Premier League against Swansea and United. A goal, scored by Yaya Sanogo just 74 seconds after the start of this Group D clash with Borussia Dortmund, completely altered the atmosphere at the Emirates.
Let’s not pretend otherwise because a vast number of Arsenal supporters, and others outside of this parish, have been braying for Jurgen Klopp to replace Wenger. Taking Dortmund’s players for a training session on a muddy surface at Regent’s Park on Wednesday morning is part of his unorthodox methods.
Wenger, as we are all too aware, knows only one way. In the sanctuary of the dressing room, there are a growing number of players who want Wenger to change his ways and adapt to the demands of the modern game. They want a different approach, better coaching at the back and more advice on technique and tactics. They are not getting enough of it.
When he was leading the team to three Barclays Premier League titles he appeared to be ahead of the game. Now he has fallen behind it. Unquestionably the aura has diminished and it will take more than a victory in the FA Cup final against Hull last season for the aura to return.
He is not a quitter and never has been after a career that has taken him to north London via Nancy, Monaco and Grampus Eight. Despite the flirtations with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and England over the years - all designed to strengthen his hand at Arsenal - Wenger has never once properly considered breaking a contract with this club.In recent weeks there has been an appetite for change among the fans and even the most loyal - the ‘AKBs’, or Arsene Knows Best brigade - have been on the turn of late.
Wenger, though, is unmoved. In his programme notes on Wednesday night he spoke of the solidarity in the squad and made a point of referencing Klopp’s poor run with Dortmund. For all the love showered on the quirky German coach, Dortmund are in the relegation zone in Bundesliga. Last year they competed in the Champions League final, only beaten at Wembley by the brilliance of Arjen Robben when he scored Bayern Munich’s 89th minute winner. Then, they were upwardly mobile, a team to be feared after beating Real Madrid - once in the group stage and again in the semi-final - on the way to Wembley.
In a few weeks’ time, at UEFA HQ in Nyon, the balls will be drawn out of the pots for the Champions League second round ties. Between now and then Arsenal have a run of fixtures in the Premier League - against West Brom, Southampton, Stoke City and Newcastle - which could see them start creeping their way back towards the top four.
This Champions League win, sealed by a moment of class from their one genuine great Alexis Sanchez, meant an awful lot to Wenger judging by his reaction to a special goal. He was pumping his fists on the edge of the technical area, waiting to salute the forward as he made his way back to the halfway line. Wenger paid £30million for Sanchez and he certainly knows how to finish a job.
Daily Mail
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