Arsene Wenger has failed this season – but has earned the right to leave Arsenal on his terms

Greg Lea is critical of Arsene Wenger after another opportunity to end Arsenal's Premier League title wait passes by.

Arsenal had arguably their best chance to end their wait for a Premier League title this season. Tony O'Brien / Reuters

This was the season in which things were supposed to be different.

Having emerged from a frugal period that was at least partly imposed by the move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal splashed the cash by signing Mesut Ozil in 2013, Alexis Sanchez in 2014 and Petr Cech in 2015, all established players who had won league titles on multiple occasions in the past.

Two FA Cups were added to the Arsenal trophy cabinet in the last two years, successes that, it was opined, would imbue the squad with a winning mentality and help lift them into a position where they could compete for the biggest honours on an annual basis.

That feeling was strengthened at the start of the current season, which Arsenal headed into with one of the strongest squads in the division. As the campaign wore on, moreover, the path in front of them appeared to clear.

Chelsea completely imploded early on, Jose Mourinho’s sacking coming after a 2-1 defeat to Leicester City left the champions hovering above the relegation zone in mid-December.

Manchester United have gone backwards under Louis van Gaal, while Manchester City failed to deliver on their early promise and have latterly begun to turn their attention towards the Uefa Champions League.

With inexperienced Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur the only other teams in contention at the top, Arsenal were expected to push on and claim their first league title since 2004.

More from Premier League:

The National debate: Can Tottenham catch Leicester City to win the Premier League title?

Richard Jolly on Merseyside derby: Jurgen Klopp expanding his influence on Liverpool, as he meets shrinking Everton

Predictions: Arsenal suffer shock defeat to West Brom; Rashford fires again as Man United gain ground

A dramatic 2-1 victory over Claudio Ranieri’s side moved them to within two points of first place in mid-February, but ahead of Thursday night’s clash with West Bromwich Albion, Arsenal have won only two of their last seven top-flight matches, and are now battling for a top-four spot, just as they have been for most of the last decade. Wenger’s side, indeed, are on course to finish third or fourth for the 11th consecutive campaign.

It is therefore difficult to argue against the assertion that the Frenchman has failed this term, a claim that has repeatedly been made by a growing number of frustrated Arsenal fans in recent weeks.

A number of those supporters have called for Wenger to be replaced in the summer, with many contending that a new manager is needed in order for Arsenal to progress.

Despite his undoubted shortcomings this season, though, the longest-serving manager in the club’s history deserves to see out the final year of his contract, even if he is not offered an extension to a deal that expires in June 2017.

Wenger may have failed to get his hands on a piece of silverware in nine of the last 11 seasons, but his role in guiding Arsenal to three Premier League titles — one of which came at the end of an unbeaten season — and six FA Cups should not be discarded.

Although the trophies have dried up somewhat, Arsenal have still shown great consistency by finishing in the top four and qualifying for the knockout stage of the Champions League year after year, an achievement that was particularly impressive between 2005 and 2013, when Wenger was continually forced to sell his best players and replace them with unproven prospects or second-rate players.

There has never been a complete collapse akin to Chelsea’s this season or Nottingham Forest’s in 1992/93, when Brian Clough was unable to prevent the former European champions from dropping into the second tier in his 18th and final year in charge.

Wenger’s power at the Emirates is such that he and he alone will decide when his time in North London has come to an end.

This season’s weak title challenge means it is looking increasingly likely that he may not be the man for Arsenal’s long-term future, but Wenger at least deserves the chance to exit with dignity at the end of his contract next summer.

Follow us on Twitter @NatSportUAE

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TheNationalSport