For years, Arsenal’s title bids have faltered when injuries stripped the squad of its core.
At the Emirates on Saturday, the difference was unmistakable. A 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest was powered not by the old guard but by the new, with Martin Zubimendi, Viktor Gyökeres, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze all at the heart of the result.
Zubimendi, a £55m arrival from Real Sociedad, produced the kind of performance Arsenal have long craved from central midfield, scoring a first-half volley and later a rare headed goal to grab his first career brace.
Between his strikes came Gyökeres’s finish at close range, the Swedish forward turning in a cross from Eze seconds after the restart. It was a passage of play that summed up what Mikel Arteta wants from his remodelled front line: decisiveness, pace and ruthlessness.
For the manager, it was vindication of a summer in which more than £250m was spent to ensure Arsenal will not be undone by the kind of problems that wrecked previous seasons.
“I am delighted because it offers us a variety of options, but also the ability to turn a game around,” Arteta said afterwards.
The difference was plain enough: last year, Arsenal might have looked threadbare without Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, William Saliba and Gabriel Jesus while losing Martin Odegaard to injury in the first half; this year, they looked dominant without them.
It is not just depth but quality that has been added.
Gyökeres arrived as the best player in Portugal, Eze has brought guile and balance, Zubimendi already looks at ease in the Premier League, Madueke’s direct running is causing all sorts of problems, Christhian Mosquera looks exceptional, and Piero Hincapié was named in the squad only days after keeping Lionel Messi quiet on international duty.
For Arsenal, the collective impact of these signings has been immediate, with all three goals against Forest directly involving summer recruits.
The danger now is of different headaches for Arteta. When the injured return, choices will be tougher, but they are problems of the kind Arsenal have not had for years.
Against Forest, the statement was clear: this side has strength in reserve, and it finally shows.