Arsenal 2-0 Napoli: Congratulations Arsene Wenger...17 years and counting

Arsenal 2-0 Napoli: Arsenal celebrate their 10th successive win of the campaign as I look back over Arsene Wenger's reign in charge of the Gunners.

Tonight's 2-0 win against Napoli was the perfect way to celebrate Arsene Wenger's 17 year mark at the club.

The magnificent Mesut Ozil scored a beautiful goal to open his Arsenal account, before teeing up Giroud as Arsenal emphatically saw off their Italian opponents making it 10 consecutive wins.

They are now top of Group F with six points from a possible six, on the day where in 1996 a certain Frenchman was introduced as the new boss at Highbury. Nobody would have predicted the success that would follow under his reign.

Oozing with class: Mesut Ozil scores his first Arsenal goal in the 2-0 win against Napoli 

Not particularly well known around the world as he is now, Wenger had managerial and coaching experiences with AS Cannes, Nancy, Monaco and Nagoya Grampus Eight before joining his friend David Dein at Arsenal, where he replaced Bruce Rioch.

He arrived at Highbury inheriting a side with the likes of Bould, Adams, Parlour and Wright, to name a few, and other world class talent would later arrive.

In only his second year in North London, Arsenal did the double with Wenger (and it wouldn't be their only double winning season as we well known). They finished top with a mere point more than Manchester United with players such as Overmars and Petit enjoying their opening seasons in England.

Wenger continued to attract big names to Highbury in Vieira, Bergkamp, Henry, Pires, Ljungberg...I could go on! But Arsene is known for nurturing talent and Thierry Henry is perhaps the obvious example to choose here.

The French winger, as he was then, joined the Gunners from Juventus, but Wenger knew him from his managerial days at Monaco where Henry had played. Arsene was keen to bring in the 22-year-old Henry as a replaceent for Anelka...and the rest is history as they say.

Thierry Henry, one of the best strikers ever to grace the Premier League, signs for Arsenal in 1999.

Arsenal did the double yet again under Wenger in the 2001-2002 season: another magnificent achievement for the club but something perhaps just as great was only two seasons down the line. The Premier League was won in 2002, rather significantly perhaps, with Wiltord securing a win and the title at Old Trafford!

Two years on then and having moulded into a striker and with support in the likes of Bergkamp, Vieira, Ljungbery and Pires, Thierry Henry and co completed what only Preston North End had done 115 years before, and went the whole season unbeaten in the 2003-2004 campaign.

Wenger suggested his side could do this only the year before, but we'll let The Professor off for being a year out. Maybe he might predict something similar again soon? They remained unbeaten going into the 2004-2005 season, and the Invincibles as they became known as, finally managed a staggering 49-game unbeaten run which ended in October 2005.

The club weren't able to maintain their title the following year but instead lifted the FA Cup, with a penalty shoot-out win against Manchester United. The winning spot kick that afternoon, proved to be the last kick in Vieira's Arsenal career. Thus began trophy-less Arsenal.

So despite all the successes, then came the downs as well. 2006 saw Arsenal make a step-up with the big sides in Europe, and for the first time in their history, made the final of the Champions League.

Sol Campbell headed Arsenal in front as they gave their all against Barcelona in Paris. The crazy yet much-loved Jens Lehmann was sent off in the first half forcing Arsenal to play with ten men for the majority of the match, and many still question Arsene's decision to bring off Pires that evening. Eventually, a fatigued Arsenal were undone and Barcelona won 2-1 to lift the trophy.

Disappointment: Champions League defeat

Since then Arsenal have made finals such as the League Cup in 2007 and 2011 but have fallen short while there have been no more Premier League titles to add to their trophy cabinet either.

There is no doubting it has taken time for Arsenal to settle in their new home of the Emirates Stadium. Highbury, in my opinion, remains the home of Arsenal but the Emirates has slowly grown into the hearts of fans since its initial opening in 2006. It is a wonderful stadium but the debt it accumulated had been a crucial factor in Arsenal's ability to spend in order to keep up with the other big clubs in modern football.

Top players have also gone year on year and Wenger has come under huge scrutiny for his attitude in the transfer market. Vieira started the trend having left at the end of the 2004-2005 season, followed by Henry, Nasri, Fabregas, Cole *cough*, Song, Van Persie etc. But this season we have seen the return of Flamini and Wenger finally splashed the cash on Ozil as they look to be considered one of the big threats in the world of football.

However, Arsenal's defence and midfield has more maturity, organisation and stability this year with Flamini's return and with former defender Bould returning to Arsenal in a coaching role. Ozil has to be the signing of the summer and he has been influential in the midfield, with the rest of the squad oozing with confidence and playing world-class football once again.

There is great positivity around Arsenal these days, as they look to master the style of football we haven't really seen for some time at the club. There are signs this could be a promising year for the club, but they have to maintain this fine form.

Arsene's contract runs out at the end of the season, and all those shouts for a change of manager are now gone. Whatever happens between now and next summer, who could really imagine an Arsenal without Arsene Wenger at the helm?

The Professor has kept Arsenal in the Champions League
every season since he has been in charge.