Arsenal crashed out of the Champions League after a second successive 5-1 defeat to Bayern Munich, leaving huge question marks surrounding the future of manager Arsene Wenger.
It is the seventh consecutive season that the Gunners have exited the Champions League at the last 16 stage, and their 10-2 aggregate loss is the heaviest suffered by an English side in Europe’s elite competition.
England forward Theo Walcott gave Wenger’s men a deserved half time lead, yet the whole complexion of the game changed eight minutes into the second period when Laurent Koscielny was given his marching orders.
And then the floodgates opened.
Robert Lewandowski netted the resulting penalty, and further goals from Arjen Robben and Douglas Costa, as well as a brace from the excellent Arturo Vidal, condemned the Gunners to their biggest home defeat in 19 years, and the second worst aggregate defeat in Champions League history, which Bayern also inflicted but on Sporting Lisbon back in 2009 (12-1).
Nonetheless, it was another embarrassing capitulation from the English side, and many Gunners fans took to social media after the game to blast their team’s display on the night, although some did praise the first half efforts…
https://twitter.com/adamweston/status/839228084998000642
https://twitter.com/MR_EL1234/status/839387012532699136
https://twitter.com/afcallday/status/839231189605052416
Unsurprisingly, Wenger’s future as manager was once again hot topic on Twitter, with many suggesting that this was the last straw for the under pressure Frenchman…
https://twitter.com/RealJBahabwa/status/839269152980418561
https://twitter.com/Kane2602/status/839241753597214720
Wenger says we should have pride in our performance and blames a penalty decision for losing 10-2. The man is deluded. #WengerOUT #AFC
— TomGooner (@TomGooner9) March 7, 2017
https://twitter.com/JxshuaM_/status/839273059303448577
Yet many believe that the players shouldn’t be free from criticism after another shocking capitulation in the second half…
These #AFC players should be ashamed! Wenger doesn't deserve all the criticism thrown about! Shocking performance! No Pride!#UCL #ARSFCB
— Thunder Yessirskiii (@typical_thunder) March 7, 2017
Everyone firing shots at Wenger but those players are embarrassing. AW takes a share of the blame, but no excuse for players giving up. #AFC
— Michael Potts (@MichaelPotts_) March 7, 2017
https://twitter.com/Footy_Says/status/839260875907293184
Actually feel sorry for Wenger, fell apart but completely out of his control on both legs, then we got toy'd with #AFC #Bayern
— A flick frøm Ramsey (@A_RamseyFC) March 7, 2017
Wenger and the majority of this Arsenal team just are no where near good enough to play for Arsenal. Another shambolic performance #AFC
— Ben Cowley (@Bencowley95) March 7, 2017
And opposing fans took great pleasure in Arsenal’s seventh successive last 16 exit, as well as the manner of their defeat to the German champions over the two legs…
#AFC…
10/11 Last 16 exit
11/12 Last 16 exit
12/13 Last 16 exit
13/14 Last 16 exit
14/15 Last 16 exit
15/16 Last 16 exit
16/17 Last 16 exit— Steve Ashforth (@steveashy) March 7, 2017
https://twitter.com/JamesODono/status/839247834520092673
I would 8-2 be a Arsenal fan as they 10-2 get knocked out of Europe in the last 16 #afc
— Phil Whitehart (@PhilWhitehart) March 7, 2017
In case any Arsenal fans are wondering what the time is it's ten two. #ChampionsLeague #afc
— Gordon Baxter (@captbax) March 7, 2017