#WengerOut is back yet again. This seems to be an annual occurrence. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger hasn’t led the Gunners to a Premier League title in 12 years, but the side has made Champions League 20 years in a row. Wenger usually points to the FA Cups he’s won as a benchmark of his success and progress at the club.
That’s not enough for the fans, who expect to see a title again some time. Now some Gunners supporters are staying away from the Emirates as protest against Wenger remaining in charge.
The official attendance was close to 60,000 tonight as Arsenal cruised to a 2-0 win over West Brom. However, the actual number of butts in seats was way below that as noticeable gaps good be found everywhere in the stadium. Reports leading into the game suggested as many as 2,500 season-ticket holders had returned their tickets due to their dissatisfaction with Wenger.
Wenger was asked what his message is to the fans protesting his remaining his power. The Frenchman called for stay-away supporters:
“To come and support the team. If you love football, you go out there and I think you see quality football.”
“That’s what we try to give to our people. It was a special night as well, Thursday night, and I don’t know if you are intelligent enough, nor am I, to detect exactly why everybody that did not turn up tonight did not turn up.”
“I believe we dominated from the start to the last minute and in fact, was what we did against Crystal Palace. Overall I believe the quality of our game was very good. Maybe, we could have scored more goals.”
“That is the only thing you could say tonight. We didn’t concede and couldn’t finish the game off the way we wanted.”
Not sure how much difference it will really make what kind of protests fans engage in. No matter how many people stop showing up, you have to remember that Wenger is very secure with the board.
No one in power really wants him out, so unless he decides to step down himself…well, we know that’s not going to happen. So while these supporter gestures are more symbolic than anything else, let’s just enjoy some of the better #WengerOut Tweets in the Twitterverse:
Only three things in life are certain, Death, Taxes and #WengerOut trending every week
— Chelsea News App (@CFCNewsApp) March 13, 2016
Now its up the fans. They have to voice their frustration and boycotting this regime. #WengerOut
— Arsenal/Flyers4Ever (@arsenalmad79) March 13, 2016
Our season is not over.
Watch the players on the last day celebrate finishing 4th.#AFC#WengerOut— Lord Gooner (@lordgooner8) March 13, 2016
We need a change – the whole thing is so stale #Wengerout
— IG (@irishgooner49) March 13, 2016
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram