Arsene in 7th heaven but future still unclear
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REMOVING the record seventh FA Cup winner’s medal from his pocket, Arsene Wenger was gratified and yet apprehensive.
“For once I have kept my medal,” said the Arsenal manager, who usually gives them away to staff members. “So that means it’s a special night for me.”
And maybe his last night managing an Arsenal team.
Even after beating Chelsea 2-1 in the final on Saturday, Wenger indicated he has to stew until tomorrow’s board meeting before discovering whether his 21-year reign will be extended by the record 13-time FA Cup winners.
Owner Stan Kroenke said earlier in the season he remained “very high on Arsene”. Unsurprisingly, Wenger is anxious about publicly discussing whether he expects the north London club to offer a new contract.
“I don’t think I can answer that question at the moment.”
Aaron Ramsey, who scored the winner to deny English Premier League champion Chelsea a double, certainly hopes there isn’t a change in the dugout. “I’m happy for the manager,” the Welshman said on the Wembley Stadium pitch. “Hopefully he will be here next season.”
The fan base certainly seems more divided, with Wenger bemoaning the “very hostile environment” created by some fans demanding his removal.
“It’s down to the board members if I am the right man to lead this club further,” the 67-year-old said. “It’s not about popularity, it’s about competence.”
Perhaps more competent leadership would have cleared up far sooner whether Wenger was staying. Delivering the FA Cup three times in four seasons has papered over some of the cracks as Arsenal has repeatedly come up short in the EPL and Europe.
The Gunners were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League for the seventh consecutive season in the last 16. And they won’t even be back among Europe’s elite in September after finishing fifth in the EPL; the lowest finish since Wenger took charge in 1996.
“I am convinced we were hurt by the uncertainty about my future with the players,” the Frenchman said.
And yet Arsenal still ended the campaign with a cup victory that Wenger puts on a par with his last EPL success in the unbeaten 2003-04 season.
Just as the season reached its climax, Arsenal turned in the type of tenacious display lacking so often, and against a side so strong in the EPL in Antonio Conte’s first season in charge.
For once, this was a day when so much went right for Wenger, even with a patched-up injury-depleted defense featuring captain Per Mertesacker making his first start in more than a year.
“We had outstanding performances,” Wenger said. “We know this team has suffered.”
But the season has ended with a run of six victories in May after Wenger adopted the three-man defense that has served Conte so well, until now. “They showed strength and unity,” Wenger said, “and we played spectacular football again.”
There was better luck, too.
When Alexis Sanchez put the ball in the net after four minutes, it appeared to be initially disallowed because Ramsey was adjudged to be interfering with play while offside. But the decision by Anthony Taylor’s assistant was overturned by the referee. “Ramsey’s interfering,” Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said. “If he doesn’t run to the ball, I can go out and claim the ball but now because he runs I stop and then Sanchez takes advantage.”
“It’s been an up and down season,” Ramsey said, “but to finish it with an FA Cup has to be a successful season.”
But it is the losers who still head in the offseason the most buoyant. Revitalized after the 10th-place league finish in 2016, Chelsea lifted the biggest prize in English football last week.
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