Two matches, two bad results and that’s it, it’s all over folks. The fallout is going to be tremendous, and many “pundits” will have the opportunity to say ‘I told you so’. The house of cards that is this Arsenal team has finally fallen down. A premature end to a not so promising season it has to be said. Some will say it’s still a long way to go, but less biased and sensitive souls will see the end clearly.

I will not speculate on how this season is going to end, with many injuries and a lack of confidence. It was Birmingham away last season, it’s Stoke away this one.

A title tilt over too early, and now a top four finish seems unlikely. The premise of Arsenal’s success has been: playing youth, buying cheap and still challenging every year. The model envied by some, pilloried by some, even tried by some is now proven faulty to the undoubted delight of many. The faith shown in the manager by the supporters and the club has been tremendous, and not misplaced, but it has to be said has been abused. Not only by the manager, but by the players nurtured by this great club.

The players - for not turning up for many games, being too arrogant without having won anything. The players do not know what supporting a club means to fans, many who pay over the odds to watch them play. The hurt of watching your team capitulate year after year is very hard to take, even for the most ardent of supporters.

The manager - for stubbornly papering over the cracks and refusing to acknowledge common wisdom. The manager wants to prove a point about his methods to the rest of the footballing world. Like a desperate alchemist trying to turn common metal into gold he refuses to see the futility of it. The supporters have backed him for many years, singing his name, always deferring to his wisdom without any doubt. But I am sorry to say there is only so much that anyone can or should be allowed to get away with.

Many will point to his successes, but those were in the past. They say a team is the reflection of the manager, so if you reverse the adage you will realize that you will not like the manager too much when you look at the current team.

I still think it’s too early to say end of an era. But something has to change now, either the club’s outlook or the manager’s. If neither are willing to change then the manager has to go.