Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger can expect a grilling when he meets the club's shareholders today but his chief executive Ivan Gazidis insists the Gunners are not a club in crisis.
Wenger will attend a question-and-answer session with the shareholders following another trophy-less campaign but has been given the total support of Gazidis, who also insisted the Frenchman will take an open-minded approach to the make-up of his squad next season.
'I am not happy where we ended up but I am pleased we are disappointed by it,' Gazidis said. 'There are other clubs who would feel this is a good position. So why aren't we feeling great about it? The answer is because we have higher expectations.
'But this is not a situation where we should be over-reactive and feel that we are in crisis. We are not.
'We have a team with an average age of 23 or 24 that went to the Champions League semi-finals and is going to get better.'
Wenger has also faced criticism for his refusal to spend big money on established internationals - with the exception of Andrey Arshavin.
'He is not closed-minded,' added Gazidis. 'The idea Arsene Wenger is some stubborn guy who is not open to having his ideas challenged and there is nobody there who can say "listen we need someone with experience in the middle of the park or at the back", just isn't true.'
Emirates Stadium chiefs, meanwhile, have denied reports assistant manager Pat Rice will retire at the end of the season.
'He remains a key part of Arsene Wenger's backroom staff,' insisted a club spokesman.
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