Arsenal Vs Eintracht Frankfurt: Vote with your feet

On Thursday night, Arsenal host Eintracht Frankfurt in their fifth Europa League group-stage match. The supporters have the chance to show their unhappiness, but for that, they must use their feet.

Arsenal fans are not happy. They are not happy with the team. They are not happy with the manager. And, most of all, they are not happy with the board, the majority of their anger aimed at owners Kroenke Sports Enterprise & Enterprise, led by Stan and son Josh.

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Their acceptance of mediocrity has been laid bare in recent years. They were happy to wait out the Arsene Wenger years as long as their pockets were lined, they have been unwilling to invest any of their own personal money into the club, the only Premier League owners to not have done so, and they have made no ambitious, title-chasing decisions, despite their protestations that they do indeed intend to challenge for the biggest trophies in world football.

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This season, the acceptance of mediocrity has stepped to a new level. While Tottenham Hotspur ruthlessly fired their greatest manager of the Premier League era in the pursuit of excellence, Arsenal have meandered through the season with an underperforming head coach, drowning team, and an only worsening outlook for the campaign ahead.

The ire of the fans towards the board stems from their managing of the manager, Unai Emery. For a growing majority of the supporters, it is quite clear that Emery is not the man to lead the team forward — in fact, this is the first time the fanbase has felt so united. Sad that it took a failing manager to get to this point, however. But the club do not seem to agree. They are being painfully patient with Emery, still believing that he can right the ship. Like with Wenger, they are again accepting mediocrity, and potentially worse.

In the end, what doomed Wenger was the diminishing footfall of match-going supporters. The Kroenkes saw that the fans were voting with their feet. And that meant one obvious and, to them, most pointed impact: less revenue.

The Kroenkes talk in money. They may say that they care about the club. They may profess to want to win things, to challenge the elite in the world, to strive for greatness. But it is all PR speak at best and downright lying at worst. In the end, as long as their wallet is fat, they are happy. And for Arsenal, as long as there are fans going to matches, the revenue will remain healthy.

So, when the Gunners host Eintracht Frankfurt in a semi-meaningless Europa League match on Thursday night, the Emirates might look a little empty, especially given that no Frankfurt fans will be allowed in the stadium following fan disorder in their match against Vitoria SC.

The supporters can show their unrest with their feet. This, ultimately, is what the club will listen to. And on Thursday, they might hear the message loud and clear: it is time for Unai Emery to go.