My point is that even the argument that there isn't anyone better available right now no longer stands because - however it's happened - Wenger's continuation in post (N.B. not the man himself) is now toxic. Virtually anyone would be better as manager for the club at the moment.
Someone from the press should ask him if there any threshold of performance and failure at which he would resign. Is there any threshold at which 'honouring' his contract is not in the best interests of the football club? Could another manager get more out of these players?
When I heard the rumour that Ancelotti was available at the end of the season I thought 'yes, please'. Right now I'd like him to start tomorrow.
I'd still prefer a younger manager who we think might lead the club for the next 10+ years but as Burney points out, pretty much anyone would be an improvement at this point so if we don't have our eye on someone like Arteta (as an example) Carlo would do just fine for now.
I'm also assuming that this chap from Barca is effectively our director of football now and once SFC does the right thing and p1sses off, the new chap will start running the recruitment process. We badly need someone that can look objectively at the players we have and move out those not deemed good enough while scouring the world (as opposed to France) for the players we need.
Thing is, it's not an ideological question on which one has to take sides anymore. It's a purely pragmatic consideration. Wenger set CL qualification as the minimum benchmark by which to judge him and we finished outside the top 4 last season. We are now on course to finish outside the top 4 again, so by his own definition he is failing in his role. What alternative is there but to change managers?