Former Arsenal defenders, Martin Keown and Lee Dixon have slammed Arsene Wenger and his team after Wednesday’s 5-1 trashing in the Champions League round-of-sixteen first leg at Bayern Munich.
Before last night’s humiliation by Bayern, Wenger’s Gunners had suffered back-to-back Premier League defeats, killing their title hopes.
Some ex-players of the club are questioning Wenger’s longevity at the Emirate Stadium as Arsenal look set for a seventh successive round-of-16 exit.
Alexis Sanchez cancelled out Arjen Robben’s opener but Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller, Thiago’s strikes ensured the Germans will go into the second leg relaxed.
According to Keown this was the nadir of the 67-year-old Wenger’s over 20-year-old reign.
He told BT Sport, “It’s almost embarrassing — outclassed, outplayed.
“This is his lowest point ever. Twenty years and Arsene must be considering his future now. Arsenal were bullied, weren’t they? Completely.
“The difference between the two squads, they [Bayern] were men against boys, they were bigger and stronger.”
Also, former centre-back Keown, who won three Premier League titles under Wenger, noted that the result could seal Wenger’s decision not to extend his stay at Arsenal beyond the end of the season, when his current contract expires.
“[Wenger] looked particularly wounded. “He just seems so low.
“I think he’s realising that with this team he’s getting no response from them. They’re not doing themselves justice or him.
“I feel for him; he almost needs to be protected from himself. This is 20 years of work here. He’s been magnificent for the club.
“This brings forward the change that looks likely at the end of the season. I think it will be him that makes the decision. The realisation that the decision needs to be made is more apparent tonight.
“That is the first time where I’ve seen him where I’ve thought, ‘he thinks it’s time’. The fact that he hasn’t been able to get a response from the players in the last few weeks might be the final straw.”
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