THE boos that rang round the Emirates, echoing off the empty seats, told the story that mattered.
It was over for Unai Emery. It had to be.
Whether it had been today, tomorrow, next week, the only question – answered shortly after 10am – was the time and date of the Spaniard’s managerial execution.
But while the Arsenal board try to come up with the solution, the best one would ensure a fragmented club comes together.
Yes, there are arguments for plenty of options.
Max Allegri, learning English at a voracious pace, probably refreshed after a few months out of the limelight since leaving Juventus. A proven winner at the highest level.
Nuno Espirito Santos, with a beard as full as his ambition. Already with an inside knowledge of English football and whose Wolves side have outplayed Emery’s Gunners three times already.
Maybe Mauricio Pochettino, even if it is unlikely he could really turn up at the other end of the Seven Sisters Road a week after leaving Spurs.
Mikel Arteta, who was on the brink of coming 18 months ago and now looks as though he would have been a better choice than Emery. As many felt all along.
Or the internal option, of promoting Freddie Ljungberg.
Yet it is hard to look at the list of potential runners and riders and not come to the conclusion that the best man for the Arsenal job is currently working for Britain’s wealthiest man.
That man is Jim Ratcliffe, boss of Ineos and Nice.
And that manager is Patrick Vieira.
An Arsenal legend, and rightly so.
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