EPL: Time's up for Wenger?

ARSENAL 2

(Lukas Podolski 73, Olivier Giroud 74)

SWANSEA 2

(Wilfried Bony 11, Mathieu Flamini 90-og)

Arsenal's season continues to curdle like milk in a sunbeam.

At the beginning of last month, they were still in Europe and chasing the title.

As the end of this month approaches, they are out of Europe and a place in the top four is no longer in their own hands.

Everton's 3-0 victory over Newcastle on Wednesday morning (Singapore time)moved the Toffees to within six points of Arsenal, with a game in hand and the two teams meet at Goodison Park on April 6. Everton now control their own destiny.

Held 2-2 in their own stadium by Swansea, Arsenal were actually fortunate to escape with a point.

In the final seconds, Jonathan de Guzman sprang the offside trap and sprinted through on goal, only to have referee Lee Probert blow the final whistle.

Swansea were incensed, players and coaches spilled onto the pitch to protest and it was only the calming influence of Ashley Williams that prevented the situation from escalating out of control.

"It was a poor decision," said manager Garry Monk. "We are clean through on goal and 99 per cent a goalscoring opportunity is going to come, he would have been clean through on goal, and the referee blows 30 seconds short... I have never had it like that in all the games I've played in."

Arsenal were, for the most part, poor.

There is no confidence in this team. Passes go astray, movement is limited, attacking plans evaporate on the edge of the box.

There was something in the way they fought back in the second half, something still driving them on.

Equally, there was something in the way they collapsed at the end, their nervousness obvious even before the calamitous own goal.

It had looked for some time like a typical Arsenal fightback, the kind of heart-straining game that supporters have been enduring for many years.

The Gunners had started well, shipped an early goal through Wilfried Bony, wobbled, recovered and then taken the lead through Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud.

So far, so Arsenal. But what happened in the final minute was not in the script.

Leon Britton burst into the box, his shot bounced off Wojceich Szczesny, hit Mathieu Flamini and rolled into the net.

In the stands, the Arsenal fans could only stand and stare, their mouths hanging open, looking for all the world like bystanders at a robbery they couldn't believe was taking place.

And then came the final drama and the nagging sensation that Swansea might have been robbed of the chance of a winner. Not that Wenger agreed, of course.

For his part, he thought Thomas Vermaelen would have stopped de Guzman in his tracks.

When asked if the title challenge was over, Wenger didn't only concede, he acknowledged a more realistic concern.

"The title is not our biggest worry at the moment," he admitted.

"We just have to try to be realistic...we have to look behind us."

There have been reasons for Arsenal to underachieve in the past.

Despite contemporary statements to the contrary, the club had to take a more economical stance on transfer fees and wages after the move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium.

When Thierry Henry left in 2007, the age of the superstars ended and it was the turn of the youngsters to take the strain.

Despite valiant efforts, they fell short every time.

But that stadium is almost paid for now and Wenger is sitting on a mountain of cash.

When the move for Schalke starlet Julian Draxler collapsed in January, someone in the boardroom briefed the press, claiming that the money had been made available for Wenger, but that he had turned it down. Clearly, there is unease at the top.

The Arsenal supporters are restless too and their complaints can no longer be dismissed as the impatient wails of a spoilt generation. They know that this club make over £3 million ($6.3m) in revenues with every home game.

They know that they no longer need to fear the spending power of Manchester City and Chelsea.

They know that they could and should be doing better.

In the past, it was hard to make a case for change.

Now, it's not so difficult.

Wenger has transformed Arsenal, he has transformed English football, he will be remembered as one of the great managers of the Premier League, but his time is surely running out.

An amicable split would suit everyone, preferably after a lap of honour at Wembley.

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