Arsenal: Is the dreaded loss of the dressing room here?

Arsenal are in dire straits. That much is clear. And the pressure is building on Arsene Wenger. Well, perhaps the most damning development is just around the corner: the loss of the dressing room.

The loss of the dressing room. It is the dreaded phrase that every manager is frightened to hear. The whispers of disturbance and apathy among the players are often far more damaging that fiery rage and anger. At least that inspires some form of a reaction. Resignation simply rests.

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Arsenal are in the stage of dejected distraction. They are not focused, they are not interested, they are not moved by the troubles in which they toil. They are simply enduring them. That is according to this piece by The Guardian, which hints at a growing rift between player and manager.

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It is an excellent piece of journalism by David Hytner, who tells the story of a players-only meeting in the aftermath of the Carabao Cup humiliation, in which they severly question the role of Arsene Wenger and the coaches, the influence that they are having, and the help that they are, or are not, as the case may be, giving:

"“Another Arsenal player stepped in. ‘We are a big club,’ he said, tapping into the rallying cry theme. ‘But we need more help from the coaches.’ That was when the damning judgment was articulated. It had actually been the motivation for the players to gather in the first place – without Arsene Wenger. ‘It’s not going to happen,’ one of them said. ‘We need to find the answers ourselves.’"

That is a telling paragraph. It shows that the players no longer trust and believe that Wenger has the answers. In all of the periods of unrest, controversy and doubt, I’m not quite sure that Wenger has ever had such questions come from his players.

Throughout his whole 21-year tenure, one thing has been made acutely clear: He is, as they say, a players’ coach, a man who is admired, respected, and loved greatly, a manager who attracts, not repels, players. Even in times of great difficulty, the players have often come to his defence, admitting their own errors and absolving Wenger of his.

But not in this case. The players are now criticising the manager. They are not supporting him. They are not listening to him. They are not expecting him to help. They realise that it is they who must find the answers, not their coach. That is not how football works.

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Wenger has lost the dressing room. That is the first time that I have ever realised that to be true. If that is not a sign that his time to depart has come, then I don’t know what is.