FOURTH PLACE

Last season's run to the Champions League final was the highpoint of a difficult year, though. Arsenal were unable to keep pace with champions Chelsea and needed a late surge to snatch fourth place -- the worst finish of Wenger's reign.

Wenger, who says he has no prizes, photographs or footballing memorabilia at his home, will certainly not be dwelling on his past achievements this week.

"The only thing that is interesting to me is the future; always turning to the next game and showing that you have improved," he said last week.

Arsenal and their fans are in no hurry to part company with a man who notched up his 500th game in charge last year and who is one of the most respected coaches in the European game.

Given everything that followed, today's contrast with the mood of September 1996 could not be more pronounced.

Nick Hornby, the British best-selling author and Arsenal fan, recalled how newspapers had touted a list of possible replacements for Rioch in a newspaper article in 2003.

"It was (Terry) Venables, (Johan) Cruyff and then at the end Arsene Wenger. I remember thinking as a fan, 'I bet it's Wenger'...trust Arsenal to appoint the boring one that you haven't heard of."

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