By Charlie Skillen
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Arsene Wenger has come in for unprecedented levels of criticism after Arsenal?s FA Cup loss to Blackburn Rovers and one of his former players is adding to the pressure on Twitter.
Mikael Silvestre, whom Wenger signed from Manchester United in 2008 and made 43 appearances in the Gunners? defence, tweeted a tongue-in-cheek picture of an empty Arsenal trophy cabinet, calling on Patrick Vieira to return to the club to help his former manager.
Vieira, who played 406 games for the club over nine seasons, is rumoured to be the favourite to replace head of youth development Liam Brady at the Emirates.
'Disrespectful': Fans who saw the message (below) criticised Silvestre, pictured in a 4-1 loss to Barcelona in 2010
Still unused: Defender Silvestre's message to Arsenal legend Vieira
Silvestre, 35, who will play for either the Portland Timbers or Seattle Sounders in the upcoming MLS season, pointed to the fact that Arsenal have not won a trophy since moving to the Emirates Stadium from Highbury in 2006.
Fans replied angrily to the defender?s message, with one Twitter user posting: ?Thanks for all your help in addressing that during your time at the club Mikael, one of our worst signings ever.?
Another wrote: ?For someone who was so bad when playing for Arsenal, you've really got some nerve posting that. Disrespectful fool?
Vieira is currently in a football development role at Manchester City, where he ended his career - with an FA Cup final victory - in 2011.
Fond memories: Vieira captained Arsenal's last trophy win, the FA Cup in 2005
Wenger?s side must overcome the odds to beat Bayern Munich in the Champions League to retain any hope of avoiding an eighth season without a trophy.
Saturday?s loss to Championship side Blackburn comes after being dumped out of the Capital One Cup by finalists Bradford.
Arsenal are fifth in the Premier League, 21 points behind leaders United.
Support for an internet fans' group calling for Wenger?s dismissal has risen, with a ?Wenger Out? chant planned for the eighth minute of Saturday?s Premier League fixture against Aston Villa ? marking eight years without a trophy.
Wenger gave a short press conference after the Blackburn defeat, which saw his side booed off after losing the game to Colin Kazim-Richards? 72nd minute strike.
'It's very painful and very disappointing,' said the Arsenal manager.
Feeling the strain: Arsene Wenger watched his Arsenal side get dumped out of the FA Cup by Blackburn
'We had 11 international players on the pitch at the start of the game, but we made a massive mistake on the goal.'
He also refuted claims this season is his worst ever: 'It is not over yet. For you maybe, but not for me. It's important to focus on our next game. It's a good opportunity to show we have character.'
Meanwhile, another former Gunner, Perry Groves, has demanded a change in Arsenal?s transfer policy to bring in players with a ?winning mentality? and believes Wenger has grown too complacent.
Speaking on talkSPORT in the wake of Arsenal?s humiliating FA Cup exit, he said: ?There are too many middle-tier players at Arsenal who aren?t contributing at all, players like Johan Djourou and Andrey Arshavin.
?There has to be change in the transfer policy, where players that aren?t contributing are offloaded. Arsenal need to buy different sorts of players.
?They need people with a winning mentality because, at the moment, there aren?t enough players with character in that side.?
Need a change: Perry Groves wants Arsenal to sign winners
With Bayern Munich next in the Champions League and thanks to their indifferent form in the Barclays Premier League, Arsenal face another season without a trophy as the pressure mounts on Wenger.
Groves, who made more than 150 appearances for Arsenal between 1986 and 1992, added: ?At the moment though Arsene is too comfortable, there seems to be an air of complacency.
?Most of the fans still respect Arsene Wenger but if you heard the reaction after the game against Blackburn you would have thought half of them were against him.
?It will be the supporters who decide Wenger?s future. Arsenal would never sack him but if the fans turn on him then he would walk away.
?You can understand their frustrations. This will be the eighth season without winning a trophy. I don?t think they?ll go through against Bayern Munich, I think they?ll struggle to get fourth and that then makes it difficult to attract the top players
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