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Arsene Wenger faces the most serious questioning of his leadership since becoming Arsenal manager 13 years ago.
Figures revealed in the Evening Standard's London Football Report 2009 show an alarming slump in the Frenchman's approval rating among Gunners fans following the club's fourth successive season without a trophy.
Wenger is London's least popular Premier League manager in the eyes of his club's own supporters with Roy Hodgson, Guus Hiddink, Gianfranco Zola and Harry Redknapp all polling higher marks for last season.
Research company Football Fans Census asked more than 2,000 supporters - with a minimum of 100 from each club - to rate their manager's performance last season. The top mark was +5 with the bottom grade -5.
Wenger's score of 2.1 is certainly not damning enough to be interpreted as a call for him to go, but it is a significant fall from his previous status and appears indicative of a changing mood among some sections at Emirates Stadium.
When the London Football Report began in 2006, Wenger achieved a near-perfect score of 4.6, making him easily the capital's most popular top-flight boss.
Despite Arsenal's failure to win anything in 2007 and 2008, his rating remained strong with the fans won over by the potential of his young side, the quality of their play and his successful track record.
However, things went far less smoothly for Wenger in 2008/9 and his lower polling coincides with other evidence of discontent.
Fans booed his substitutions at times last season - when the club finished fourth in the Premier League - and the 59-year-old was upset when his decisions were questioned at a fiery shareholders' meeting last month.
Amid rumoured interest from Real Madrid, a group of fans organised a march in support of their boss ahead of the last home game against Stoke, however the report shows unrest among others has not gone away.
But an Arsenal spokesperson said: "We don't think too much emphasis should be placed upon the survey results as proof of our fans' strong and deep bond with Arsene has been demonstrated consistently over the years.
"Most recently, at the Stoke game when a march was undertaken in his honour by the fans and the vocal backing from them was clear."
In contrast to Wenger's troubles, Fulham boss Roy Hodgson has much to celebrate after scoring an outstanding approval of 4.9. The club were written off as relegation fodder at the start of the season and Hodgson's achievement in leading them into Europe is fully appreciated.
Brentford fans are equally delighted with rookie boss Andy Scott who oversaw promotion from League Two, while caretaker Guus Hiddink's strong rating of 4.7 has set a high benchmark for new Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti.
Kenny Jackett, of Millwall, Geraint Williams, of Leyton Orient, and Gianfranco Zola at West Ham also registered impressive ratings in excess of 4.
At the other end of the scale, Phil Parkinson (-2.1) receives little sympathy for failing to avert Charlton's slide towards Championship relegation.
In west London, Paulo Sousa (-0.6) was not a hit with Queens Park Rangers fans and chairman Flavio Briatore has already acted to appoint Jim Magilton in his place.
Neil Warnock was the capital's top- ranked manager in 2007/8 (4.9) after Crystal Palace's surprise play-off charge but a season of mid-table mediocrity has seen his popularity take a considerable nosedive (0.6).
As well as the performances of managers, the report also asked the fans to rate contributions of their directors and players and to name their club's biggest rivals.
DIRECTORS
The feelgood factor at Fulham extends beyond the dugout and into the boardroom, according to the report.
Chairman Mohamed Fayed's popularity has soared after appointing Hodgson and providing the funds for successful signings such as Andrew Johnson and Mark Schwarzer.
The Harrods owner is now head of London's highest-ranked Premier League club board which trail only Brentford in the overall standings.
For their part, the Bees are the capital's only professional side owned by a supporters' trust and their board, led by chairman Greg Dyke, receive a ringing endorsement (4.9) from fans.
Millwall's American chairman John Berylson (3.8) also emerges with plenty of credit for restoring stability to the boardroom after years of turmoil.
Elsewhere, the bubble appears to have burst for Briatore and Bernie Ecclestone's regime at QPR.
Gripped by a wave of optimism in the wake of their takeover - along with Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittal - fans of the so-called "richest club in the world" made Rangers directors the most popular in London in 2008.
Twelve months later, following a season of underachievement, the same set of directors are bottom of the pile with a rating of -2.9.
The handling of Charlton's ignominious slide down the leagues and the Icelandic financial meltdown at West Ham have not impressed fans of those clubs either.
PLAYERS
Only 38 per cent of supporters quizzed thought their players had provided "value for money" last season given the salaries they earn.
Fans of Charlton (9 per cent), Tottenham (12 per cent), Crystal Palace (12 per cent) and QPR (14 per cent) were the most unhappy with their squads' efforts.
Arsenal's wage bill is in excess of £100million but just 18 per cent of their fans believed the players had justified their pay packets.
There was greater levels of contentment with Chelsea's high-earning players (44 per cent), while footballers received the best reviews from fans of Brentford (96 per cent), Millwall (93 per cent) and Fulham (85 per cent).
RIVALRY
Chelsea topped the list as the team London fans love to hate with 23 per cent naming the Blues as their most disliked club.
But the figures also demonstrate how short-term factors can change the face of football rivalry.
For the past two years, Arsenal fans have named 'Big Four' counterparts Chelsea as their bete noire in preference to traditional foes Tottenham.
But, this year, as the Gunners have struggled, improving Tottenham have come back onto the radar.
Chelsea and Spurs both attract 32 per cent of Arsenal fans' venom.
It is a similar theme among Chelsea fans with Arsenal viewed as less of a threat and, unlike in previous years, they don't feature in the top three of Blues fans' biggest rivals.
Reader views (15)
i think wenger should go out and buy more expess players not keep singing youg plalers we need top players now
- Brian, lincoin
No- This poll is right- Arsenal continue to go down the toilet. Wenger has got by on spin and the promise of youth- for years. They will not be competing for the prem league as they were 4 or 5 years ago. Arsenal have a great squad if you omit central defenders and strikers- oh and DMs- just what do they have? Yes they play good football against weak opposition.
- Goonergerry, Melbourne Australia
Wenger policy of youth players is destroying Arsenal which is being rated now as less than mancester united, Chelsea and Liverpool.he is always reluctant to buy first quality players.You need to put the fans interest into consideration by compiling a trophy winning team, but not to train youth and later sell them to other clubs. What does the club do with the money by the way.Wake up Wenger, we need trophies not youth for sale
- M. Stephen, Melbourne Australia
Typical comments from the naive Arsene Knows Brigade. Anybody who disagrees with them is 'an idiot' or doesn't know anything about football'. I've been going since the 80's and for me Wenger is actually destroying the football club. I have lost all respect for him, not because of the lack of trophies but the rubbish he spouts about what a great team it is and what great players Song, Denilson, E0boue, Bendtner and co are and his appalling anti British Isles bias when buying players. I feel sorry for whoever comes next, it is an absolute mess and Wenger is the architect. I hate what he has turned our once great club into. A travelling circus with no soul, spine or loyalty. Shame, shame, shame..
- Chris Hume, Billericay, England
The researchers have just got this wrong. There is no sane Arsenal supporter or fan who wants to change Arsene Wenger for anybody. Where Arsenal stands in World football is towering above everybody else. I went on holiday and even the rival supporters have Arsenal as their second team. They are like Brazil in National football. After your country you want to see Brazil! After your club you want to see Arsenal for the style, class, flow attacking football that entertains more than any other team in the premiership, if not in Europe.
- Sorie Kamara, London, UK
I like to know when this "survey" was done? I am an Arsenal Season ticket holder and I've never been asked. I have full confidence in Arsene Wenger. A case of muck stirring I think!
Yours faithfully
Adam Manktelow
Dartford
- Adam Manktelow, Dartford
ridiculous-where did they get the 100 gooners that made this naive ignorant conclusion?AW is brilliant-surely it is obvious that we are a proper football club not some vehicle for laundering dirty money or a foreign corporations plaything.WHEN the financial implosion consumes the game AFC will be best set to compete on a fair and even financial footing.Until then seasons like the last two will do for me-I for one am proud of my club and proud to have Arsene Wenger in charge!
- Arsenalbob, studham
Pedro from Dubai is spot on. A bunch of clueless fools have being voicing their opinions on what Wenger should do. It's like a 40-year-old virgin telling Colin Farrell how to pull a woman. Wenger's super smart, experienced, tactical, and scientifically shrewd. Of course fans have a right to express disappointment - for sure. But being disappointment it doesn't mean they know how to resolve a problem - it just means they're disappointed.
- Scoopmeister, Dublin, Ireland
Unpopular with fans who has problem with their,do they expect the man(Arsene Wenger)to go on the pitch and start doing the work of the board who are not ready to borrow/spend money on players. listen,because he has done it before with low budget players means he must keep doing it every time he buys a prof footballer for £300,000.00 he must win silverware
- Nelson Showunmi, London England
it is easy to know what you dont want but hard to know what you do want.
what would you replace him with and what would you expect.
i think the fans who dont like arsene arent really fans and should hand in their season tickets. (i have been queueing for mine for 4 yrs). they get tottenham i ger arsenal.
- Kardenal, highbury
This is Mr Wengers last season of his contract. So far he has not been either offered or asked for a new contract.
You only have to sit in the crowd at the Emirates to realise that he has lost a lot of his goodwill from the fans. Thats a fact I'm afraid.
The new season coming up is a big one. If Arsenal get off to a bad start will he be offered a new contract?
Even the Wenger Lovies must be getting a little alarmed now.
- Iva Seasonticket, Islington, N London
Rate their manager! What are they making comparisons with?
Arsene Wenger is still a top manager who appears to be looking after every aspect of the club with a great deal of professionalism. It appears to me that there is a certain element, mainly in the press, who would like to drive him away.
How anyone can say Arsenal have been unsuccessful over the last four years, just because there is not silver pot on the table, is beyond me. What do they want the club to do, go down the road that took Leeds United to Division 1.
Of course winning is important but so is the entertainment provided in doing so. If the players are so concerned about lack of silver ware why don't they do something about it, on the pitch and not off it!
I don't get to see many live games but what I do see on TV tells me that the Arsenal are well worth watching and another trophy cannot be too far away. Oh ye of little faith!
- Pedro, Dubai UAE
I can't wait until abramovich gets bored with chelsea and pulls the plug (what does he know about football anyway, he was going to buy Tottenham for God's sake!).
Chelsea epitomise everything that's wrong with English football and the sooner they're back in the First Division, which is where they belong, the better.
- Chris, Brighton, England.
A mountain is being made of a mole hill me-thinks.
A survey's output can be biased depending upon the context and the way the questions are worded as also the way the sample is taken.
Arsene has the support of the Board and the majority of the fans - despite noises to the contrary from a few anti-Wenger bloggers.
- Daokta, India
Wrong, wrong wrong.
Arsenal fans know that money is tight and will continue to be until the flats are sold at Highbury Square.
Arsenal is a quoted company with shareholders to keep happy unlike Chavski which is a benefactor club run to keep the Oligarch amused. What happens to them when he gets bored? Back to the Makita cup.
Arsenal have a sound future ahead of them.
- Undercover Elephant, Dole Farm, Crays Hill, Essex
