John Giles: Arsenal 'stars' are just proven failures - I can't understand why Wenger is sticking with them
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 05: (R) Theo Walcott celebrtes scoring the 2nd Arsenal goal with (L) Danny Welbeck and (2ndL) Mesut Ozil during the Premier League match between Arsenal and West Ham United at Emirates Stadium on April 5, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Arsenal suffered a familiar result last Saturday after once again losing away to Stoke - and John Giles thinks that Arsene Wenger's reliance on 'proven failures' could finally spell the end for the Frenchman at the club.
The Gunners were unconvincing in their 4-3 opening night win over Leicester, which was followed by a narrow 1-0 defeat at the Britannia Stadium.
Mesut Ozil has come in for particular criticism after another poor display away from home, and Giles thinks a key reason why Arsenal have underperformed in the Premier League is that Wenger insists on selecting the German, as well as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Theo Walcott among others.
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Speaking on Eamon Dunphy's The Stand podcast, Giles gave Arsenal's misfiring stars both barrels.
"I've always been a great fan of Wenger and I think he has done a great job with Arsenal over the years - I think everybody agrees with that," Giles said.
"But when you have Ozil in the team, again, and Chamberlain in the team, again, Walcott still there, Xhaka - these are proven failures, and why they are there, I don't know. I think it will be the end of Wenger."
Giles added that he expected last season's FA Cup final win over Chelsea to be followed by a clearout at Arsenal, and can't understand why Wenger is sticking with the same players who came up short in the league last year.
"I thought in the summer after they won the cup that he would get rid of these guys," he said.
"I thought they would be out, start from scratch, good players in, or better than he has. These are proven failures and why he is sticking with them, I do not know."
