Arsenal FC: Will the Club Follow the Team into Decline?

The summer of 2011 should be called the Summer of Discontent for Arsenal fans.

Loyal Gooners have seen three major members of the starting 11 leave, and no reinforcements bought for a shaky defence and, now, a weakened attack.

Some fans will point to the likes of Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and so on as reasons for hope.

They do not seem to realize they are potential reasons, not established ones.

Other Premier League title challengers are not counting on two players under the age of 21 to hold down the midfield area on a weekly basis.

With the Francesc Fabregas deal finished last week, and Samir Nasri's move soon to be finalized, this Arsenal team is significantly weakened.

With just about a week left in the transfer market, it is unlikely that Wenger will get any reinforcements because;

1.) He will not have the time to start his Wenger-like negotiations and,

2.) With the limited time on his hands Wenger will have to shell out more cash than normal to get a last minute desperation deal done, and he will be unwilling to do that.

Never mind that both situations could have easily been resolved a lot quicker if all parties involved were more aggressive.

The fact is, that Wenger has sat on his throne, sceptre in hand, unaware of what is going in his kingdom, like King Theoden of Rohan in the Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers before Gandalf releases him from Sarumans spell.

The Arsenal Board didn't help the situation either.

Stan Kroenke and others did not put their foot down, seemingly not realizing that being fourth place (or less) and possibly being out of the Champions League before it starts, does not bring in the money that winning trophies does.

So where does this all lead?

Earlier in the summer Wenger himself said that Arsenal could not call themselves a big club anymore if they lose, two of their biggest stars Fabregas and Nasri. Check and almost check.

I would not go as far as to say the club is not big anymore. Arsenal FC is in a good financial position (no excuse for not buying big players), it has fans worldwide, it has history and it could still attract quality players.

I guess Gervinho would have to be on that list, though he is more of an all-star and not a superstar.

Wenger has seen the effects of his new policy for the past few years.

Players like Thierry Henry, knowing that his time was almost up and the kids were not ready, left for greener pastures, and more success, in Spain. Others, like Hleb, made the wrong decision.

Regardless of what happened after their Arsenal exit, players left because they felt, among other things, they could achieve more elsewhere.

The overall quality of the team is nowhere near that of the "Invincibles" era, and not good enough to challenge for a title.

Money was spent unnecessarily—Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain please stand up—and nothing major has been done as of now.

The start of the season has not promised much. Yes, Wilshere is injured, but can he carry the burden of a Francesc Fabregas? As of right now, the answer is no.

The situation with the team is not catastrophic and could be fixed, and that is definitely necessary to keep the club in the top four or higher where it belongs.

This is where the board plays a major part. They have a variety of options at their fingertips and, while they may have gotten their way with Nasri, they need to take some action to show fans where the club is headed.

Wenger is not in charge of the club, the board is, and they should be willing to force his hand if they deem necessary.

This does not mean a spending spree is necessary, but if Wenger has to be tied up to enable the acquisition of around 60 million pounds of reinforcements then do it.

In this day and age, the players cost money and, whether it is right or not, the big teams have to spend big to get the best. Negotiations can only go on so long before a team gets tired and says now or never, and if there is a need then do it now.

So where does this leave the club?

Arsenal fans are paying high ticket prices and seeing, for the most part, good football. But they want trophies.

Will some fans give up and leave the club if nothing new happens within the next year, or half a decade? Possibly

If the team is not successful, will the club be able to attract the likes of a Eden Hazard or Karim Benzema? Probably not

Will a squad filled with mostly talented youth challenge for the Premier League or Champions League? Possible, but not likely

If the board does not act now, will the club lose its "Big Four" status in England, at least for some time? It has already started, according to Sir Alex Ferguson.

Arsenal may be part of the top six teams in England now, but that could change if things are not fixed. It could happen maybe even at the end of this season.

Fans from the other title challengers and even European contenders have had something to laugh at every week where the Gunners are concerned, and teams may not fear the Arsenal as much as they used to.

There needs to be a change in the order of things at the Emirates, or else the future might not be so bright.