Arsene Wenger signed a two year extension to extend his stay at Arsenal to 2019 during the week.. The Frenchman faced arguably his most difficult season as manager of the North London club after a terrible run of form from the end of January to early April culminated in seven defeats from twelves matches in all competitions. Yet as it common with Arsene Wenger's Arsenal over the years, they always seem to end the season with a flourish after the usual mid season loss of form. An untypical change of formation for the first time since September. 1996 which saw the manager adopt a 3-4-3 formation meant Arsenal won nine out of its ten matches to finish the season. The high of winning the FA Cup against champions Chelsea culminated in another contract extension. The cup win at Wembley made Arsenal the most successful club in the history of the competition with its 13th win, while Arsene Wenger became the most successful manager in FA Cup history with its seventh win. Its a feat that would take some beating to overcome.
The familiar failings of Arsenal were all on display for all to see this season in the just concluded season. The usual starting a season in a flourish, which inevitably lures the fans to a sense of false security and excitement. But when push comes to shove and the pressures goes up, the team collapses. Yet, the manager attributed this year's collapse to unusual circumstances which had to do with uncertainties over his future which he claimed unsettled his players.
The way Arsenal overcome bogey teams such as Southampton and Stoke City away from homes in matches they had to win, must make its fans wonder why they can't show such enthusiasm for a title race the way they do for a top four finish. Now after the glorious failure of settling for a Europa league spot, which was rewarded with a new contract, something has to give.
The contract extension was followed by the usual official line and assertion that there would be changes in the transfer market in the off season. Such lines have been heard before, but where never backed by actions. which is why whether this contract extension would end up being more of the same or there would be genuine change would be known in the weeks and months to come.
One reason why the stasis can't continue is because there are actually questions that needs to be addressed. Since Arsenal only deploy a weapon of reactionary activity, they would do well to react to the numerous players that their contracts have been allowed to run down to just one year left. Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Alexis Oxlade Chamberlain's contracts have to be addressed. The likes of Jack Wilshere and Kieran Gibbs would have to be sold with just a year left in their contracts. Carl Jenkinson, Matthieu Debuchy, Yaya Sanogo and Lucas Perez, who is looking for a move a way after growing frustrated at a lack of playing time.
Arsene Wenger would have to be more ruthless in his approach to dealing with players. it;s an indictment and pure negligence that a player like Yaya Sanogo was in Arsenal's books for four years, and yet the club is reluctant to meet the wage demands of the likes of Alexis and Ozil. If non performing players are removed from the wage will, it would go a long way in adequately fixing wage demands of key players.
It remains to be seen how Arsene Wenger approach the summer's business. he, more than anybody else would know that, things can't possibly continue the way they have been before. He has shown he can change with that change of formation for the first time in twenty years, and now, he has to replicate that in his transfer business this summer.
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