Wenger could end up like Clough... Arsenal should sack him now, says ex-Chelsea star Cascarino

Former Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino has called on Arsenal to sack manager Arsene Wenger before he embarrasses himself.
Cascarino fears the club have only remained so patient with Wenger ‘because of sentiment’ and believe his reign at the Emirates will soon go the way of Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest.  
Arsenal are struggling down in 10th in the Barclays Premier League table and progressed to the Champions League knockout stages despite a limp 2-1 defeat at Olympiacos.

Under pressure: Arsene Wenger saw his slump slump to defeat at Olympiacos on Tuiesday night

Plight: Cascarino says Wenger's Arsenal reign could go the same way as legendary Brian Clough's did at Nottingham Forest

Writing in the Times, Cascarino said: ‘Big clubs sack managers, and Arsenal are a big club. They have the best stadium in the division and a fine history, but cannot call themselves a big club if they are prepared to hang on to Wenger out of sentiment.
‘When I look at him, I see a guy who believes in a philosophy based on simplicity. He won’t change. He was a genius, but that genius has had its day. Football has caught up with him and he remains in the job because of sentiment.
‘I am worried he could end up like Brian Clough; a magnificent manager who at the end of his career was but a shadow of what he once was. At the end of his Nottingham Forest career he was out of touch and Wenger is in danger of becoming something similar, of being embarrassment.’
Meanwhile, Wenger maintains Arsenal must forget about the Champions League for a while and concentrate on recapturing their domestic form after last night’s 2-1 defeat at Olympiacos ended hopes of seeding for the knockout stage.
With qualification already secure ahead of the last Group B tie, Wenger elected to leave several first-team regulars behind as 20-year-old defender Jernade Meade made his European debut.
Although Czech midfielder Tomas Rosicky fired the English side ahead after 38 minutes, the Greeks fought back through a controversial effort by Giannis Maniatis and a well-taken strike from substitute Kostas Mitroglou to leave Wenger facing more questions about the direction of his team - who have now not won in the last four and plummeted down the Barclays Premier League table.
'Let’s see [what happens in the draw], but for now it is important for us to focus on the [domestic] championship, forget about the Champions League a little bit and get ourselves back in decent form in the championship,' said Wenger.
Arsenal, who were beaten 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium last weekend, host fifth-placed West Brom on Saturday.

Speaking out: Former Chelsea star Tony Cascarino

Wenger challenged his team to produce a response.
He said: 'It is a good opportunity for us to keep focused, to show strength and unity, that is what you want to do in the next game.'
Wenger refused to be too downbeat after last night’s defeat.
'We left eight or nine players at home and we had a positive game,' he said.
'We had a good first half, but we dropped physically in the second half because many players lack competition at that level and therefore we couldn’t take the chances for the second goal.

Gunned down: Olympiacos' Giannis Maniatis (R) scores against Arsenal

'We also got a very bad decision against us on the goal. I am not against the fifth referee, but you would like at least for them to be concentrated on their job, but that was not the case tonight, Wojciech Szczesny was far away from the ball.
'Why didn’t the fifth official tell the referee? It’s difficult to understand, to concede a corner when it doesn’t go off the goalkeeper.
'However, I don’t want to make a fuss of it, so we have to take it on the chin and go home and focus on our next game.'

Source : DailyMail

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