Fourth place in the Premier League, Carling Cup quarter-finalists and FA Cup and Champions League semi-finalists would be a reasonable season for most but Arsenal’s fourth season without a major honour turned from one of promise to one of frustration.

The form shown in the latter part of 2007/8 gave most belief that the Gunners could once again challenge the recent domination of Manchester United and Chelsea domestically but their Premier League chances drifted away with some less-than-positive results and a catalogue of injuries to some top players including Cesc Fabregas. A heavy defeat inflicted by Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final was compounded by an equally painful loss to Manchester United in the same stage of the Champions League.

Arsene Wenger has stressed that his squad has undergone a rebuilding period but must be aware of the precarious nature of English club management and the expectations of both supporters and his superiors. Next season is surely when Arsenal must once again deliver silverware into the Emirates trophy cabinet. Another year of disappointment may signal that the Gunners are falling too far behind their main rivals with change the only solution. At what level this happens we can only guess.