Charles Watts
What happened at the Emirates on Sunday night when Arsène Wenger decided in all his wisdom to replace Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain really did feel like a watershed moment. It was the first time I have ever witnessed such open revolt in the stadium at one of his decisions, the first time that 'you don't know what you're doing' chants could clearly be heard around our new home.
To be honest, I'm surprised it's taken this long to happen. After the start to the season we had, I thought we would have been at this stage far earlier. After the débacle of Old Trafford, we were at the point of no return, but some last-gasp transfer dealings managed to earn the boss some breathing space. A good run of form followed which saw the team move quickly up the league and, to the outside, all appeared well once again. But for regulars it was clear that the detractors were still lurking in the shadows, and one bad run would quickly see the blue touchpaper lit once again.
And a run of three straight defeats has done just that. The knives are now well and truly out, but this time it all feels a bit different. Before, the anti-Wenger brigade were still in the minority while the AKBs (Arsène Knows Best) were the majority rulers, especially at the stadium. But I think that may have finally changed on Sunday.
Wenger's ludicrous decision to replace Oxlade-Chamberlain with Arshavin was the last straw for many who were desperately trying to remain faithful to the man who has given us so much joy. The substitution reeked of a manager who is completely out of touch and, in the end, it proved to be a decision which saw us finish empty-handed from a game we couldn't afford to lose.
I have always been in the pro-Wenger camp although, in the heat of the moment after the 8-2 at Trafford, that was severely called into question. But I'm now really beginning to look at things in a new light. I'm struggling to defend a manager who can make such a disastrous decision as the one he made last night.
I always used to be worried about what would happen if Wenger left. Would his departure lead to a mass exodus which would see all our stars follow him out the door? But let's face it, we don't have to worry about that any more. There are barely any world-class players left at the club and I don't think Wenger's departure would lead to the few we do have becoming unsettled. The one worry I do have is our current board. I'm not exactly confident that they would cover themselves in glory when choosing a possible successor. But all that is for another time, because I'm not expecting Wenger to be picking up his P45 any time soon, certainly not before the summer. However, one thing is for sure, and that's that his relationship with the fans has now changed. He knows he is not untouchable.
What will happen the next time he makes a substitution that the crowd are not happy with? What will happen if Spurs claim a second successive win at the Emirates when they make the short trip across North London next month? It wasn't long ago that Ivan Gazidis said that it was the fans who would decide when Arsène's time at the club was up. He may soon live to regret that statement.
