Arteta voiced his appreciation for Liverpool’s player acquisitions preceding this contest, but the 3-0 triumph against Nottingham Forest on Saturday functioned as an encouraging initial demonstration of Arsenal’s offseason player strategy.
While Liverpool twice shattered the British transfer expenditure milestone within a single summer by securing Wirtz and then Isak, the Gunners onboarded eight athletes for a collective sum exceeding £260 million, aiming to rectify the issues encountered during the previous campaign.
Initially, the situation bore a strong resemblance to last season. Arsenal’s primary offensive threat stemmed from corner kicks, they experienced another injury setback as Ødegaard exited the field after only 18 minutes, and the presence of Postecoglou managing a squad clad in white evoked a familiar atmosphere.
That shifted when the new recruits asserted their significance. Madueke had been Arsenal’s most impactful performer in the initial thirty minutes, but it was Zubimendi, another recent arrival, who shattered the deadlock with an exceptional volley in the 32nd minute.
Madueke’s corner kick — inevitably, a corner was involved — was cleared to the edge of the penalty area, where Zubimendi connected with the ball so flawlessly that Murillo’s minor deflection shouldn’t diminish the magnificence of the strike.
Ødegaard was replaced by Nwaneri — who committed to a new agreement last month following speculation about a potential departure — before Eze, participating in his first complete match, supplied his inaugural assist, enabling Arsenal’s new central forward, Gyökeres, to elevate his total to three goals across four appearances.
Zubimendi seemed to astonish even his own teammates by scoring a header from Trossard’s cross in the 79th minute.
The combination exemplified Arsenal’s newly acquired extensive strength. In the prior season, the absence of Saka, Ødegaard, Saliba, Havertz, and Gabriel Jesus, with Rice on the substitutes’ bench, would have significantly undermined their capacity to sustain a title challenge.
Naturally, it remains premature to determine whether they will demonstrate greater resilience this time, yet the indicators were promising. Mosquera capably filled Saliba’s position with an authoritative performance, while Madueke consistently outmaneuvered Morata from the outset and posed a persistent threat.
Furthermore, instead of depending on the inconsistencies of Martinelli and Trossard to define events, the pair could be deployed as late substitutes with the match secured, granting them a brief opportunity to impress.
Postecoglou immediately impacted Tottenham Hotspur, but expecting a similar outcome at Forest might be unreasonable, considering he hasn’t had a preseason to collaborate with this group, many of whom were engaged in international commitments.
They appeared to adopt a higher pressing approach and attempted to exhibit some degree of offensive intent initially, but this swiftly diminished as Forest presented minimal threat while appearing vulnerable on counterattacks.
Forest lost a player to injury — Murillo in the 38th minute — an issue Postecoglou encountered frequently at Spurs. Eventually, they succumbed to defeat, a scenario the Australian faced 22 times in the previous season, leading to his dismissal. The afternoon evolved into a dispiriting affair, with the red portion of north London perhaps the least desirable location for his inaugural match.
“You’re getting sacked in the morning,” jubilantly sang the Arsenal supporters before commencing a rendition of: “Are you Tottenham in disguise?”
Forest themselves have invested considerably, acquiring 13 players in total. While Postecoglou is commencing his journey in working with that squad, Saturday’s outcome illustrated the advantages Arsenal could reap this season by effectively augmenting an established group.
This week, in particular, necessitates consistent performance, with the Champions League presenting a challenging journey to Athletic Club on Tuesday before Manchester City’s visit to the Emirates on Sunday. It is precisely the type of sequence that would have stretched the Gunners in the past season. Based on this evidence, they appear better prepared to address it now.
