Arsene Wenger has enjoyed some incredible moments with Arsenal, no more so than when he guided his men to an unbeaten campaign in the 2003-2004 season, while he has landed the Premier League title on three occasions during a 21-year tenure in north London.
However, his last top-flight title remains the one garnered by the ‘Invincibles’ 13 years ago and success in recent times has been limited, and a glance at big free bet’s top online bookmakers will show punters who is worth backing to win this year’s crown.
It has been down to the world’s oldest cup competition to provide some much-needed cheer for the Gunners’ faithful and the French tactician has presided over six FA Cup triumphs since he stepped into the Highbury dug-out way back in 1996.
The FA Cup has been kind to Wenger in recent years and been the one competition to appease the fans, with the capital club set to face Manchester City in the semi-finals on April 23 at Wembley.
There have been occasions when it has been suggested that winning the end-of-season showpiece has kept Wenger in his job although the powers-that-be at the Emirates would not admit it.
With all that has happened during this term, a cup win, while welcome, would not be the defining moment of the veteran’s career and will certainly not be vital to his future at the club.
It seems likely that Arsenal will miss out on a top-four spot for the first time in Wenger’s reign and that could be seen as far more damaging than a lack of a cup in May.
It has been a turbulent few months for all involved and five defeats from the past eight top-flight games means they are under real pressure to qualify for the Champions League.
But even a failure to achieve that aim would not bring about Wenger’s downfall as the 67-year-old has surely built up enough credit during his marathon stint to leave on his own terms.
If, as seems likely, he does opt to call time on his Gunners’ career this summer, opinion will be divided on his achievements as it is obvious with the banners that have been flown overhead and some chants in the crowd that sections of support want him out.
However there are those who feel the grass will not be greener and do not subscribe to the Jose Mourinho view that he is a “specialist in failure”.
Three titles in 21 years might not be seen as a great return for a club the size of Arsenal but what would Liverpool give for just one?
It is true that the boss has maybe been a bit too hesitant to spend big on players down the years and Arsenal have suffered as a consequence, but he was hamstrung to a certain extent with the move to the Emirates.
Should a new man move into the hot-seat next season then it is likely he will want new faces and it could be that the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil are moved on.
That would not be the Wenger way but things will probably be out of his control by then and he can watch from afar.
Wenger poses with the FA Cup in 2014. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Winning the FA Cup one more time would give the players and fans something to cling on to for the future but it is not essential for Wenger’s future, as that has already been decided.
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