As we enter the tedious monotony of an international break, Arsene Wenger finds himself with around 10 days of wrestling with the biggest decision of his career.

There have been protests, marches and planes flown overhead against his continued leadership of Arsenal with the general feeling of Gooners being ‘thanks, but no thanks’. Or at least the more outspoken ones.

The board have given him until the Manchester City match a week on Sunday to decide whether he will sign the two-year contract extension already put in front of him, or whether to walk away from the club he has plunged the last 20 years of his life into. It’s hardly a decision to be taken lightly, or quickly.

West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings Show all 23 1 /23 West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings <b>West Brom:</b> Boaz Myhill – 7 out of 10 Left stranded for Giroud’s header as he was given no chance from close range. Otherwise commanded his area very well, and his good day’s work was summed up with a late save from Koscielny’s volley. 2015 Getty Images West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings Craig Dawson – 7 out of 10 Had his work cut out in the second half as Sanchez switched to the left. But he did well to reduce the threat from Gibbs and frustrated the Chilean forward late on. 2015 Getty Images West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings Jonny Evans – 7 out of 10 Showed his valuable experience as he stuck to Giroud in open play, giving the Frenchman no chance of getting a clear-cut effort on goal. West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings Jonas Olsson – 5 out of 10 At fault for Giroud’s opener as he lost his man at Özil’s free-kick. Guilty of messing around with the ball ahead of Arsenal’s penalty, though that may have had its desired effect on Cazorla. 2015 Getty Images West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings Chris Brunt – 7 out of 10 Perfect delivery gave Morrison the chance to score from his free-kick. Tried to get forward when possible, but today he knew his duty came in defence and he forced Bellerin to try and go outside him each time he attacked. 2015 Getty Images West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings James Morrison – 8 out of 10 Expertly finished with the outside of his right foot to volley home and level the scores from a Brunt free-kick. Worked his socks off to try and disrupt the Arsenal midfield axis, with a fair amount of success. 2015 Getty Images West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings Darren Fletcher – 6 out of 10 Sat quite deep to partner Yacob in shielding the back-four, although he didn’t have many stand-out moments. 2015 Getty Images West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings Claudio Yacob – 6 out of 10 Another who was fairly anonymous when it came to game-changing decisions, but he was always in position to cut out a killer ball and Tony Pulis could ask no more of him. 2015 Getty Images West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings James McClean – 8 out of 10 Fantastic run down the left before crossing into goal-mouth produced Arteta’s own-goal. He gave Bellerin plenty to think about as he drifted across the midfield at will. 2015 Getty Images West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings Stephane Sessegnon – 6 out of 10 Played in McClean for the second after committing Koscielny to pull Arsenal’s defence ragged. 2015 Getty Images West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings Solomon Rondon – 5 out of 10 Fairly anonymous and was hauled off for Saido Berahino in the second half. The England Under-21 striker looked much more of a threat. 2015 Getty Images West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings <b>Arsenal:</b> Petr Cech – 6 out of 10 Slightly off his line which allowed Morrison to volley the ball over his head, but there was little he could do for the second goal. Reaction save stopped a late Berahino effort although the whistle had already gone. 2015 Getty Images West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings Hector Bellerin – 6 out of 10 Lost Morrison for the goal as he was caught napping when the ball was airborne. Looked short on match fitness, although he was his ever keen self to work down the right in search of the equaliser. 2015 Getty Images West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings Laurent Koscielny – 5 out of 10 Still not his normal self and Wenger was right to question whether he should play him in the build-up to the match. Simple header back to Cech went for a corner, and he lost Berahino late on. 2015 The Arsenal Football Club Plc West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings Per Mertesacker – 5 out of 10 Went AWOL for the second goal which forced Arteta back into defence. Looked nervy on the ball, and still struggles to connect with attacking aerial balls. 2015 The Arsenal Football Club Plc West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings Nacho Monreal – 6 out of 10 The Spaniard didn’t press forward as much as he has recently with Gibbs in front of him sticking to the left, and that had an impact on Arsenal’s attacking threat as there were few overlaps from the left-back. Fairly solid in defence though, with little threat coming down his flank. 2015 The Arsenal Football Club Plc West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings Francis Coquelin – 5 out of 10 Lasted just 13 minutes after his own sliding tackle saw him suffer a knock to his knee. Replaced by Mikel Arteta, with disastrous consequences. 2015 Getty Images West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings Santi Cazorla – 4 out of 10 His form has deserted him recently. His passing was terrible in attacking positions, and his dreadful penalty attempt sums up Arsenal’s day. Slipped as he kicked the ball, sending it into his standing foot and over the bar. 2015 Getty Images West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings Alexis Sanchez – out of 10 Worked extremely hard but couldn’t fashion many chances for himself. One clear effort saw the ball escape his reach with the goal at his mercy. 2015 The Arsenal Football Club Plc West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings Mesut Ozil – 7 out of 10 Broke the record for consecutive assists as his floated free-kick saw Giroud head home to register a seventh straight game in which he’s set up a goal. Probed throughout and looked to be Arsenal’s creator for the equaliser – only it never came. 2015 Getty Images West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings Kieran Gibbs – 5 out of 10 Dangerous cross late in the first half went unpunished as no one in red could reach it. Not an out-and-out attacking player though and it showed, and he was replaced by Joel Campbell with half an hour to go. West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings Olivier Giroud – 6 out of 10 Emotion poured out of him before kick-off as La Marseillaise rang out, and he soon had something to shout about as he headed in Ozil’s free-kick. Booked late in the first half as Arsenal lost their way, and he faded in the second half. 2015 Getty Images West Brom vs Arsenal player ratings Mikel Arteta – 1 out of 10 Terrible introduction for injured Coquelin after 13 minutes in. Conceded the free-kick that led to Morrison’s goal – though he appeared to get a toe on the ball – before handling in an own-goal to give Baggies the lead. His nightmare outing was capped when he was injured three minutes after the break, and was replaced by Mathieu Flamini having played 36 minutes. 2015 Getty Images

Wenger told reporters following the 3-1 defeat to West Brom on Saturday “you will soon know” of his decision, but it is understood that he is no closer to making that decision and changes his mind daily about what he will do.

But how do you begin to weigh up the option of divorcing such a prominent part of your life for so long? The Independent spoke to Professor Andrew Lane, a leading sport psychologist from the University of Wolverhampton, on why someone with the personality of Wenger will likely react by digging his heels in, rather than bow to fan pressure.

“Will this abuse affect him? Yes, if he took it seriously, but if he did, he would not be a football manager given how much criticism managers take,” Professor Lane told The Independent. “He will accept fans are unhappy – that’s not new, it won’t affect him. Players complaining? That’s part and parcel of the game, it goes with the territory.

“The current level of abuse is something that he won’t want to go out on. Given his personality he is more likely to dig in and have a final good season and then leave on his own terms rather than feel he left when things are not going so well, given his investment in every part of that club and its players. He’s spent 20 years building things up and he won’t want to just dismantle it on the back of losing four or five games.”

To make it as at the top of your profession, you need a skin as thick as buffalo hide and an ego – or air of confidence in yourself – to match. Wenger has both, which is why he has lasted so long in a sport eating itself because its craving for instant, short-term success.

Wenger is facing increasing calls to go (Getty)

However, while this makes him the great survivor, it also makes him more reluctant and pig-headed when it comes to moments such as this, when change is so clearly what Arsenal need. But Wenger still believes there is no one walking this Earth who can do a better job than he can at the club.

“He thinks he’s the best person for the job,” Professor Lane explained. “It’s such a demanding job that you have to believe that what you are doing is beneficial.

“His ego is far greater than those compared to a normal job but being a football manager is so demanding that you need the strength of an elephant so it doesn’t break you. He’s so heavily criticised so often in a job that you can be so easily fired from that he has developed this backbone of steel and that’s why he still thinks he’s the best man for the job.”

Arsene Wenger's worst Arsenal defeats Show all 8 1 /8 Arsene Wenger's worst Arsenal defeats Arsene Wenger's worst Arsenal defeats AC Milan 4 Arsenal 0, Champions League last 16 first leg, 2012 Another last-16 elimination, and another example of the tie being over before the second leg. A Robinho brace and goals from Kevin Prince-Boating and Zlatan Ibrahimovic meant Milan took a hefty lead back to the Emirates. The Gunners won that 3-0 but it was too little, too late. Getty Images Arsene Wenger's worst Arsenal defeats Manchester City 6 Arsenal 3, Premier League, 2013 Arsenal were top of the league at the time but were blown away by City to close the gap to three points. Slack defending cost them and even when Per Mertesacker headed in a late consolation goal to make it 5-3, Yaya Toure still had time to score a sixth. Getty Images Arsene Wenger's worst Arsenal defeats Bayern Munich 5 Arsenal 1, Champions League Group Stage, 2015 Yes, remarkably, Tuesday night was is not even the second time Arsenal have lost 5-1 to Bayern. In last season’s Group Stage, Robert Lewandowski, David Alaba, Arjen Robben and two Thomas Muller goals saw to an embarrassing night for Wenger. Bongarts/Getty Images Arsene Wenger's worst Arsenal defeats Liverpool 5 Arsenal 1, Premier League, 2014 Liverpool were rampant three years ago and stormed into a four goal lead inside the opening 20 minutes at Anfield, including two goals from centre-back Martin Skrtel. Raheem Sterling made it five with Mikel Arteta’s penalty a mere consolation. Getty Images Arsene Wenger's worst Arsenal defeats Tottenham 5 Arsenal 1, League Cup semi-final second leg, 2008 A humiliating scoreline – made all the worse by it being against the Gunners’ most bitter rivals. The defeat cost them a place in the League Cup final as Nicklas Bendtner and Emmanuel Adebayor nearly violently clashed on the pitch. Getty Images Arsene Wenger's worst Arsenal defeats Manchester United 6 Arsenal 1, Premier League, 2001 Dwight Yorke bagged a first-half hat-trick at Old Trafford as United raced into a 5-1 lead by the break. Teddy Sheringham added a late sixth as the Red Devils went 16 points clear at the top of the Premier League. Getty Images Arsene Wenger's worst Arsenal defeats Chelsea 6 Arsenal 0, Premier League, 2014 Not the best way for Wenger to celebrate his 1000th game in charge of Arsenal. Chelsea were 3-0 up inside 17 minutes in a game which also saw Kieran Gibbs sent off in a case of mistaken identity with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Getty Images Arsene Wenger's worst Arsenal defeats Manchester United 8 Arsenal 2, Premier League, 2011 Wayne Rooney grabbed a hat-trick to help inflict Wenger’s biggest defeat as Arsenal boss. It was made all the worst as it was by a Manchester United team with a midfield of Tom Cleverley, Anderson, Nani and Ashley Young. Getty Images

Another fear of Wenger’s is what his life will be without Arsenal. He has a routine – he’s had it for 20 years – and at 67 years old, change is coming too late for him. He wants to see out his career at the Emirates and likely feels that moving to another club after investing so much of himself at Arsenal, is not an option.

“His life revolves around football; I don’t think he sees himself taking any other role,” Professor Lane added.

“In anyone’s mind it is a challenge to do the same job year in year out. But he’s not doing the same job, it’s evolved. And that’s a reason why he would stay – it’s a changing job but he has a lot of control over how it changes. That’s a massive advantage in football.

“He’s got a great deal of influence in the club and an awful lot of ‘him’ invested into it. He’s committed a lot to the club and he’s not doing it just for the money, he’s doing it for his own kudos.”

What is evident though, is that he is struggling to motivate his players, as shown by the Alexis Sanchez’s angry standoffs with teammates and he and Mesut Ozil stalling on new contracts. While he needs to freshen up his ways of challenging his players, his motivation hasn’t wavered, which is why he will stay on, believes Professor Lane.

“The team is visibly unmotivated for games at the moment, but I’m sure he is still motivated to have a very good team.

“Whether he’s motivated for the potential rewards that are coming in terms of where the team is heading is a big factor in his decision. He will also look at his long-term ambition in terms of this season and beyond and where he sees his career going and whether he needs that. He will decide he doesn’t need this motivation anymore and he will realise it one day – like Sir Alex Ferguson did.”

Arsenal fans are restless (Getty)

Wenger has controlled, for the most part, how Arsenal Football Club as grown over the last 20 years, from moving to a new stadium, to offsetting costs with player transfers, to bringing through younger stars. He’s been the puppet master of the club.