Arsenal has Traded Silver for Glass?

Arsene Wenger described Islington Council’s December 2001 approval of an ultra-modern stadium at Ashburton Grove as "the biggest decision in Arsenal's history". Decorated with 13 League titles and 10 FA Cup medals, Arsenal fans accustomed to celebrating success did not anticipate that this big decision would confine them to such a long trophy drought.

Wenger who has enjoyed unwavering Gooner trust in over fifteen year’s managing the club assured fans that after sacrificing for a couple of years, the Gunners would emerge stronger than ever. With no trophies won since the 2006 move to Emirates stadium, even loyal fans have started to question this strength. Players like Vieira, Henry, Fabregas, Adebayor, Clichy, Nasri, Van Persie and Song left at their peak. In their place the likes of Squillaci, Arshavin, Chamakh, Koscielny, Santos and Gervinho have failed to consistently light up the Emirates with Arsenal’s trademark entertaining football. They were recently so out-passed, out-thought and out-fought by Swansea at the Emirates; many Arsenal fans must have felt the last aspect of their pride had been taken away.   

As fans endure by far the highest ticket prices in the league, they can now only take solace in the luxury provided by Emirates stadium. Their once hungry for success manager now feeds them to rhetoric about how finishing in the top four is as good as a trophy for Arsenal. He gives his once attentive audience assurances that the Gunners are probably the best team in Europe under Financial Fair Play regulations. Unfortunately, with wealthy club owners now able to manipulate sponsorship packages from organizations they are affiliated with, fans know that these new regulations will realistically not make their club any stronger on the pitch.

Arsenal’s major shareholders have unquestionably been the greatest beneficiaries of "the biggest decision in Arsenal's history". For many seasons, Wenger has been their most valuable resource as he delivered modest success while yielding tremendous returns on player and ticket sales, as well as appeasing fans with promising starts to league seasons.

After seven false dawns, the voices of discontent are now starting to get louder. To his credit, Wenger has responded by signing more valuable and experienced players in the last two seasons but the club has plummeted to a very lowly mid-season eighth position. Even fielding a very strong and experienced side against second division Bradford could not help steer the club towards the Capital One League Cup that Wenger previously looked upon with such disdain.

 As disgruntled fans now ask the Arsenal board to shed some of Wenger’s control over club affairs, one can’t help but wonder what it will take to save the last harmonious English Football giant from falling into discord. It would be crazy to bet against another top-four finish, as Wenger has a knack for consistently delivering at least this at the end of each season. Wenger however has a severe bout of food poisoning to Spurs’ players in May 2006 to thank for helping him keep this record unblemished.

My prediction for this season’s top four inevitably includes the two Manchester giants. With the talent at Chelsea’s disposal and the imminent return of Terry’s leadership, they should have more than sufficient firepower to stay in the top-four. Ordinarily my bet would be on a steely Everton to close out this season’s top-four but then their very influential Fellaini chose to commit a “Zidane head-butt”. However, if the suspension for the offence is three or less games, top-four may be another trophy that Arsenal kisses goodbye this season.