Tuesday night for all of us was an absolute travesty. A game that held so much promise from the manager and the players wasn’t just a damp squid, but only really lasted for a meagre eight minutes. So where do we go from here? Many are saying a change of personnel is required. This is obvious, as we need to get some experience injected into the team that played last night. Players from the same stable as Arshavin are clearly what is needed for us to mount a serious title and European challenge. However a change of managers, I assure you will only make matters worse.

Wenger is the only man available to get Arsenal out the rut that we are in. Yes, we have had four dry years since last lifting a trophy, and we all know that mistakes have been made in the selling of certain players. I do not feel that we would have been knocked out of both the F.A. Cup and Champions League semi final had Henry, Viera, Pires and Gilberto been still turning out for us. It is clear that despite the miniscule amounts that we received for them, losing their services has been responsible to our decline in consistency through a season, and our loss of bite in big matches.

If we’re being really brutally honest 60% of the team that was knocked out of the FA Cup and the Champions League within the space of 18 days, would be fringe players at best if earning a living at any of the other ‘top four’ clubs. If players like Babel, Kalou and Nani feature for each of their respective clubs for less than a quarter of the season, how do players like Denilson, Diaby and Bendtner feature for 90% of ours? I commend the manager for trying to do this with youth, but it hasn’t worked and Wenger must realise now is the time to buy. However if he did decide to call it a day at Ashburton, the core of the team that is in place (and can be built around to mount a great challenge next year) would surely leave. Can you imagine Fabregas, Van Persie and Walcott staying at the club if their Messiah left? No chance.

We know some deadwood in that squad needs to be shown the door and some new experienced talent needs to be brought in, but let us also remember the ridiculous amount of bad luck that we have endured since moving across the road to our new home. I believe it all started one night in Paris. Since losing that Champions League Final, domestically we have thrown away a massive Premiership lead at a strange afternoon in Birmingham and we have led in a semi-final of the FA Cup and a final of the Carling Cup only to go and let in lucky goals at the worst times. In Europe we were knocked out of the Champions League by Liverpool with moments to spare with a dubious penalty, and as for Tuesday, Gibbs slipping at the vital moment was the icing on the cake. All of this is before we look at the amount of injuries that have plagued us with the loss of Van Persie, Eduardo, Diaby, Fabregas, Rosicky, Adebayor, Clichy, Sagna, Gallas, Toure, Almunia and Walcott. In fact I cannot think of a first team player that has dodged injury for two years. It is known that injuries are inevitable, but I cannot think of any other team in England that has had their sick bay so busy for the past two years.

We appear to have come to a crossroads in Wenger’s reign. If funds are not spent this summer, it could be the end of an era for Arsene. He needs to spend big, but also wisely. Just look at the amount of cash the Lilywhites splash every transfer window and still produce nothing. After Barcelona beat the Chavs on Wednesday night, they are on track for a similar season to us if they do not win the F.A. Cup and in truth, we have had a more exciting season than Liverpool. Yes they have chased the league, but if we are being honest, we all know that they aren’t going to win it. Would you have preferred the hope of winning two trophies only to be pipped at the final hurdle, or trying to chase United with only a few games to spare and waiting on a miracle. If Wenger does call it a day, the repercussions would be catastrophic. Would you really want somebody like Allardyce getting hold of the reigns of our club and destroying everything Wenger has built? Surely not. Patience is running out but I only pray it hasn’t run its course.