Wednesday 8 March 2017 11:21, UK
Arsenal must tell Arsene Wenger to make a decision on his future now, according to former Gunners' striker Charlie Nicholas.
Arsenal suffered a third consecutive 5-1 defeat by Bayern Munich on Tuesday night to exit the Champions League at the last-16 stage for the seventh successive season.
Wenger, who has been at Arsenal since 1996, is out of contract in the summer and said in February that he would make a decision on his future either this month or next.
Nicholas believes an announcement is needed urgently about what the Frenchman will do while he also called on the club to sort out Alexis Sanchez's future.
"Arsenal are getting to the stage where Arsene [Wenger] deserves to make his decision, but the board now for me have two big issues coming up," Nicholas told Premier League Daily.
"They must say to Arsene, and I would suggest they do so after the cup game against Lincoln, that Arsene must make a decision now, and then we need a decision from Sanchez, are you staying or are you going?
"They have to get these problems out of the way so they can move on or else it will be a torrid 10 weeks for Arsenal."
Nicholas is adamant that Arsenal's players must take a portion of the blame for their Champions League exit and faltering title bid.
The Sky Sports pundit is also convinced Wenger will continue to manage next year, even if it is at another club.
"I feel the stress," Nicholas added. "I hate being critical of the man because he's done sensational things, we all know that whether you're an Arsenal fan or not, but he doesn't have the answers to it now.
"I think in general terms he [Wenger] wants to stay because it's his life, he doesn't have a social life without that. He's committed everything to the club and football in general. His whole life has been about that.
"I think that's why we got a situation a couple of weeks ago where he said: 'I will be managing somewhere next season if it's not at Arsenal', I think that's the type of philosophy he does have and I can understand that.
"Management is like a drug, they become addicted to it. I'm not saying they enjoy the pressure but there's some element to it that gets you going. He's big enough and strong enough to take on the critics and answer it but I don't think his team is anymore.
"His players are too soft, there's no leadership, when they don't have the ball they don't know how to go and get it back.
"The first half last night was the best Arsenal have played for a little while. There was a little energy in there and I thought 'this is not too bad, they've got a reaction of some kind.'
"Yes it was harsh on the penalty and sending off but it's the same old Arsenal. They just cave in."
Wenger was highly critical of the referee after Tuesday's defeat, calling the official's decision to send off Laurent Koscielny "scandalous".
Nicholas disagreed that it was an excuse for the team's collapse, however, and revealed his worry at watching the 67-year-old under such stress.
"No he's not [right to blame the referee]," said Nicholas.
"He's covering the cracks but a manager under the pressure he's under, you can see the stress and strain, he's got a grey look to him and it's not nice for me.
"As an Arsenal fan it's terrifying. The palms in my hand were sweating last night watching him on the touchline because I really feel for him but I'm angry, upset and frustrated at the whole situation."
