Wenger's enthusiasm remains undiminished

Dissatisfaction must be the key to longevity. Arsene Wenger is good-natured enough to reflect, when invited, on the 10th anniversary of his arrival at Arsenal, which rolls up on Thursday, but there is no deep desire to savour the trophies won or the cultural transformation he has wrought.

"No matter when I stop I will always feel I have not done enough," he said. That, however, does not dilute his desire to win the Champions League. The ambition is deepened by the 2-1 loss to Barcelona in last season's final, when his side held the lead until the 76th minute despite the dismissal of Jens Lehmann. He has not brooded over the video, but the footage is impossible to avoid and he had to stop and look when he found some of his backroom staff watching it.

"We should have won it because we had the chance to score the second goal," said Wenger. He tries to recycle the memories and get more than regret out of them.

"This season," said the manager, "we start with the belief that we can get to the final because we have done it, but we want to go back in and win it."

Arsenal's victory in Hamburg two weeks ago constituted a strong start to Group G and tonight at home they have the opportunity to put Porto even further behind them. Jesualdo Ferreira's side took only a goalless draw from their first fixture, at home to CSKA Moscow. For Wenger, this evening's match will bring out the visitors' conservatism.

"Porto will be more cautious than if they had been playing us one year ago," he said.

Arsenal's near miss has, in other words, made sides more wary of them. Arsenal are normally concerned with imposing their own style, even if that philosophy ensured a brush with embarrassment when the centre-half Kolo Toure could not name a single member of the Porto side. No doubt Wenger will have given his side a crash course by kick-off.

His own line-up may require deeper reflection. He stresses the need "to control the game" in the Champions League more than the wish to overwhelm the other team. To that end, he sent Arsenal out with only one forward in the key occasions last season. There have to be doubts, however, as to whether Thierry Henry, after the World Cup and a recent injury, is at the peak of condition needed by a solo striker.

Fitness concerns of a simpler nature have to be addressed by Wenger. Johan Djourou, the central defender, and the midfielder Freddie Ljungberg missed training yesterday because of knocks picked up in the 3-0 win over Sheffield United. While Wenger is confident both will be fit, there could be a temptation to rest Ljungberg and use, say, Alexander Hleb, on the flank.

These, all the same, are pleasant deliberations for the manager after the troubled opening to the season. Should Arsenal beat Porto they will have secured a fourth successive win to prove their form is back at its customary level. Wenger now has merely minor questions to resolve.

There is a decision to be made about Julio Baptista, who has come from Real Madrid on a season's loan that could be converted into a four-year contract.

That step may be taken in January or next summer, with Jose Antonio Reyes' switch to the Bernabeu on a long-term contract happening at the same time. The arrangement would be more certain, though, if the Brazilian had not been denied a starting place so far at Highbury.

Wenger denies that there is any dissatisfaction with Baptista's weight or fitness.

"It is just a question of adaptation to the pace of the game," he said. "Some take longer than others."

The manager is at pains to make Baptista feel wanted, since he, too, will have to decide if he wishes to be with Arsenal. "Once he is running with the ball he has that penetrating power," Wenger enthused. "No one can stop him. He is a killer." Wenger had more measured compliments for the Porto forward Helder Postiga, who had an unproductive spell at White Hart Lane.

"Maybe Tottenham gave up (on him) too early," said Wenger. "After our game with them I came out thinking, 'he has talent this boy'." Arsenal will still expect to stop Postiga and Porto from doing anything more than hint at their potential.