LONDON — One other 12 months, one other 98th minute thunderbolt to ship the Emirates Stadium into raptures. This time, nonetheless, it was not a miracle comeback that Arsenal have been celebrating, however a consummate show which means they’re going nowhere because the title race turns into the ending straight.

No want, this time, for the heroics of Reiss Nelson. Mikel Arteta and Edu noticed to that this summer season with a recruitment spree that more and more bears the indicators of a masterstroke. Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and, with a little bit serving to hand from VAR Peter Bankes, David Raya ensured that Bournemouth didn’t get wherever close to as near snaring a degree as that they had on their final go to to N5. What the hardest task left on their fixture checklist — and arguably proved to be on events within the second half — was negotiated with a sophistication and muscularity that had lengthy since abandoned Arsenal at this stage final season.

On the vanguard of that efficiency have been Havertz and Rice. The previous received the contentious penalty that allowed Bukayo Saka to translate “the perfect first half of the season” right into a one aim lead. The latter offered the help for the second, and powered within the third that has Arsenal 4 factors away from Manchester Metropolis. More and more, these two have the look of exemplars for what Arteta has all the time wished this group to be, a aspect that won’t simply outplay you, however can beat you up and nab your lunch cash too.

They’ve peaked down the stretch, whereas Raya has not faltered both. As was the case six days in the past at Tottenham, his was not an error-free efficiency. One other referee and his video assistant might need concluded that there was not sufficient strain positioned on him by Dominic Solanke to trigger him to misplace a punch that resulted in Antoine Semenyo thumping the ball into his internet. As is so usually the case with Raya, nonetheless, that incident didn’t blow him astray as it would his predecessor between the sticks. Now, a person whose season began 4 video games late, and who has missed two video games in opposition to father or mother membership Brentford has received the Golden Glove with weeks to spare.

Arsenals’ summer season transfers carrying the load

Arsenal took massive swings this summer season. None of them have been universally celebrated, even by me. May Rice contribute in a extra superior position when Thomas Partey or Jorginho began? A return of eight assists and 7 targets, yet one more than Granit Xhaka delivered in his excellent swansong, solutions that. Did Raya represent a significant improve on Aaron Ramsdale? The composure with which he snuffed out a Bournemouth escape within the second half spoke to qualities Arsenal had been lacking.

Then there was the good enigma of Havertz. Too expensive a reclamation mission for a participant whose spirit had been crushed at Stamford Bridge? “I get pleasure from each second,” mentioned the German of life beneath Arteta, who discovered himself operating out of superlatives for his middle ahead. “He is taught me so many good issues, particularly originally when it was powerful for me. I am so glad I am right here.” Arsenal are so glad to have him, a bruiser in languid playmaker’s clothes.

A summer season of daring, aggressive selections has been vindicated as soon as extra, even when what the shrewdest decide up — utility defender Jurrien Timber — has missed all however 50 minutes of the league season. 

“If we spend cash we might higher do it properly and in the best approach! We’re actually proud of the recruitment that we had. It had a huge impact within the group, it has raised not solely the extent of the group however the degree of the remainder of the gamers as effectively,” Arteta mentioned after the match.

Every of his summer season signings received their flowers. The protection that Raya anchors “offers us an enormous basis to be nearer to successful trophies.” The “unbelievable” Havertz was celebrated for “the timings, the actions, how he retains the ball, the way in which he goes to the press, how he hyperlinks play, his understanding of the sport.”

Even Rice, a person signed to be the “lighthouse” of this Arsenal group, has taken Arteta abruptly along with his capacity to float between midfield anchor and dynamo. “He is performed it. Credit score to him. Even once we’ve modified him from place to place, it isn’t straightforward to adapt to that, so I believe he deserves a variety of credit score for that.”

Like Bowie within the 70s, Prince within the 80s or Dua within the 20s, Arsenal’s recruitment is hit after hit after hit. Leandro Trossard, the person who soothed these second half nerves with essentially the most composed end of the day, is averaging 0.85 non-penalty targets and assists per 90 minutes since he left Brighton in January 2023. That is not simply the main mark on the Emirates Stadium, it is a tally bettered by solely 5 gamers throughout the league. In between Mohamed Salah and Ollie Watkins, it isn’t a foul touchdown spot for the second selection signing to supply depth behind Saka and Gabriel Martinelli. That very same window introduced Jorginho and Jakub Kiwior, each of whom have had runs of type the place they appeared undroppable this season.

So quickly are requirements rising round these components that transformative additions corresponding to Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus are preventing for his or her long run futures. The latter, at the very least, did his trigger no hurt after his introduction within the 87th minute, his fast ft teeing up Rice for the third.

All this excellence on the pitch and available in the market may not fairly be sufficient this season. The one factor Arsenal can do for now’s maintain asking Metropolis if they will win their subsequent recreation. Even when they do fall brief on the closing hurdle, nonetheless, Arteta and Edu will go once more this summer season. The type of Rice, Havertz and Raya would recommend that Arsenal can be an excellent larger drive popping out of the summer season months.