Arsenal Transfer News: Why Song's Departure Should Serve as Catalyst for Change

Arsenal FC agreed to release Alex Song from his contract to FC Barcelona. La Blaugrana paid $23.4 million to sign Song. 

Barca added a release clause valued at $98.6 million in Song´s contract with the club. The news was published by Agence France-Presse (h/t to The Globe and Mail). The deal comes after the result of the match between Arsenal and Sunderland, which ended in a goalless draw.

Song is the latest player to leave the Gunners after Robin Van Persie signed with Manchester United.

The response of manager Arsene Wenger was to say that Arsenal can function without star players and defend the team's lack of silverware.

What is Arsene Wenger thinking about with his comments about Arsenal without Song and Van Persie? Is Wenger not aware that Arsenal is going through not-so-good times or is this a way of dealing with adversity?

Desperate Times for Arsenal FC

In spite of Wenger's comments, Arsenal is experiencing an era of desperation because of a decrease in its reputation within the Premier League. It all starts with the lack of silverware in events such as the Premier League, UEFA Champions League and even the UEFA Europa League.

Arsenal has not won any silverware for almost a decade. The last time that Arsenal won the Premier League was in 2004. The desperation worsens when Ashley Cole mocks his former club over the lack of silverware.

The era of desperation goes from worse to worst with the departure of Song, Van Persie and the reaction of Gunner fans after Van Persie left. The problem lies again in the lack of silverware at the Emirates.

The departures of Song and Van Persie, along with the lack of trophies and a scoreless draw against Sunderland, may lead to a domino effect of low morality, which leads to losses and draws. The desperation exists in spite of the presence of recently signed players such as Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla.

Should the Gunners sit back and allow their gains to be eroded gradually? The answer should be a resounding no.

The departures of Song and Van Persie along with the not-so-stellar performance should serve as a wake-up call for Arsenal. The desperate times should be followed by desperate measures and a need for change.

Desperate Measures for Arsenal

The first step in taking desperate and dramatic measures lies in the club, its players, coach and supporters taking a look at themselves. The next step is to accept responsibility for the lack of silverware.

Andrey Arshavin told Sport Express (h/t to The Daily Mail) that Arsenal must accept its responsibility for the lack of silverware. After accepting responsibility, the idea of complacency, which eats at the soul of many clubs, should go away.

There is no excuse for the lack of silverware or great players in a team if it wants to recover its greatness. The club and their supporters should ask for silverware and great players.

Maybe Arsenal could start by asking Wenger to step aside as manager. While there is respect for Wenger and what he has done for Arsenal, I think that he should leave.

In the beginning of 2012, Goal conducted a poll among its readers concerning the future of Wenger. The poll was conducted after Arsenal was defeated by Sunderland for the FA Cup.

The results of the poll showed that 44.84 percent of the voters favored Wenger being removed in favor of another coach.

In addition to the coach, the supporters of Arsenal should demand better performance from its players.

The players should also change the mentality of complacency to that of winning. It remains to be seen what will transpire for Arsenal in the current season.

The time for desperate measures and change is now before things reach the point of relegation and possible insolvency in the distant future.