'The conclusion is obvious' - Arsenal legend Ian Wright calls for board to act on Arsene Wenger's future

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Arsenal legend Ian Wright has launched a scathing assessment of his former manager and club and has claimed that the "conclusion is obvious" as to what has to happen with Arsene Wenger after their dismal 4-0 loss at Anfield.

After scraping past Leicester on the opening day and then playing out a sorry loss at Stoke the following weekend the Gunners took their poor start to the season to a whole new low with a shambolic performance against Liverpool, and Wright has called time on the man he calls the ‘greatest’.

“Arsene Wenger will go down in history as the greatest manager of, for me, the greatest club” Wright wrote in his Sun column.

“He’s the man responsible for many of the finest days of my footballing life, first as a player and then as a fan.

“Which makes what I am about to say so painful it almost causes physical hurt.

“But after what I rate the worst display any Arsenal team has ever dished up, the conclusion is obvious.

“Judging by the way he was twiddling his thumbs on the bench as they got thumped 4-0 by Liverpool, helpless to find an answer, I think even Arsene realises it, too.”

Wenger admitted at the end of last season that the debate surrounding his future, supposedly ended when the Frenchman penned a new two-year deal after winning the FA Cup, had caused problems towards the end of the season.

But just three games into the new campaign, Wright feels that debate is back causing problems once again, and that the board have a tough call to make.

“In my book, the team have stopped playing for him. Stopped fighting for the cause.

“Stopped showing any pride in the shirt — or, most cutting of all — any hurt at the performance.

“That is why I believe the Arsenal board — and let’s face it, they’ve hardly covered themselves in glory — have a truly massive choice to make.

“Wenger said it had been a mistake to let his own contract situation drag on last season. He admitted it could have had a destabilising effect.

"From the look of things, it still is. And, it’s horrible to admit, but you really can’t see how it will get better.”

The Gunners’ poor start to the season has only been added to by their struggles in the transfer market. With just days to go, the futures of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil are no closer to being solved, whilst Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain looks set to join champions Chelsea.

“How did he let Alexis Sanchez, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mesut Ozil enter the last year of their contract with their futures still so uncertain?

“We’re in the last week of the transfer window and Arsenal have players who refuse to sign new deals, players who don’t want to be there, still a lack of leaders, still a lack of numbers.

“Everything about what’s happening in the dressing room — the players’ attitudes, the tactics, the team selection, the system — is down to Arsene.”

Finally, the Gunners’ icon called for those in the board at the Emirates to show some backbone and make a call on Wenger’s future.

He added: “We’re three games in and already seem to be at crisis point.

“What is desperately needed now is a show of strength — and that has to start in the boardroom.”

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