I'll agree on the stronger players/leaders point but if anything that can just be traced back to having a manager that is no longer fussed about leading himself. Every match - even when we win - he just disappears down the tunnel and gives a generic interview. He's got into a rut of cultivating young talent that - if they ever get that far - end up being sold to more successful teams when they reach it, so of course none of them are going to stand a full season of fitness, let alone the physical nature of the premier league.
At the end of the day the only thing in his favour, the only thing that people defend him with, is his history.
Even the other Arsenal heroes / superfans are questioning him, even Ian Wright's questioned his motivation to succeed/progress, it's really not a question of "Not being a real fan" lol. And yeah, other managers get harangued and called to be sacked way before they need to be (saw something about Quique Flores at Watford earlier?
wtf) but come on. Title favourites to "maybe finishing 5th/6th" within 4 months. It's failure. If we do miss out on the champions league next season I'll be intrigued to read the 3 people who still defend him just before they're shipped off to the loony bin.