It’s the end of an era at Arsenal with Arsene Wenger looking set to almost certainly leave the club after 20 years at the end of the current campaign.
 

Seen his team taken apart by Manchester City twice in the space of a week has left any doubters convinced that the Gunners need new impetus in the summer, and that more than anything, they need a new manager.
 

Three goals down in 30 minutes tonight, to a City team which is setting new standards in the Premier League, is proof enough that this once great club is crumbling around the edges and that Wenger has outstayed his welcome by several years.


 

Of course it’s no disgrace to be beaten by Pep Guardiola’s men; many have and many more will succumb to his devastating brand of football, but Arsenal fans know that their club is falling behind in the Premier League hierarchy, with Champions League football looking unlikely again next season (unless they win the Europe League).


 

Panned by the critics for being a soft touch, Arsenal players are in a comfort zone in the capital, enjoying the trappings of being a highly-paid professional in one of Europe’s most vibrant cities.
 

The only way they will snap out of it is with a new man at the helm who can bring fresh ideas to a burned out club.
 

Wenger is probably already writing his farewell speech, many of the current squad may fear for their first-team places long-term, but this summer is Arsenal’s very own “Year Zero” and only a radical revamping of the coaching staff will raise this sleeping giant from its slumbers.

Steve Mitchell
@barafundler