The heartbreak of the Manchester City defeat is still fresh in the mind however the nature of the performance has spawned positive belief in this group managed by Mikel Arteta.
The Arsenal that lost in Saturday’s showdown with the league leaders was far from the squad that was heavily beaten 5-0 at the Etihad Stadium at the end of August. Despite a significant squad overhaul, the mentality of the group is different and its young stars are shining through.
What has been achieved by Mikel Arteta in this time has even got some making some bold claims about where this side could go.
Currently training with the first team, Jack Wilshere was asked on talkSPORT whether he believed that this Arsenal side under Arteta could win the title in a few years’ time.
“I think with the right backing and bringing the right players in,” Wilshere replied when asked the big question.
"He [Arteta] definitely has a clear structure and philosophy of the way he sees football and how he wants it to be played.
"Listen, they're not going to win the league this year. But in the next two or three years, if they can get into the top four, get a few big signings in, give them time to settle and see how the manager wants them to play.
"I'm going to put it out there - I think they can, yeah."
Considering the ages of many of the stars in the Arsenal squad, to think what level they could reach in a few years is frightening. However, this group alone is not enough to put Arsenal on that level.
There are areas of the squad that need to be improved and others that must be reinforced.
Right-back and right-wing need to see improvement from the options currently available to cover Bukayo Saka and Takehiro Tomiyasu.
A £72 million Nicolas Pepe collecting dust is not helpful for the club or the player. If Arsenal can get someone to give what Arteta wants from a wide player to compete with Saka then it will only improve the 20-year-old’s game. A sale of Pepe could then be reinvested elsewhere in the squad.
Cedric Soares, Calum Chambers and Ainsley Maitland-Niles are not of sufficient quality to cover the 22-year-old Japanese international. Arsenal needs the equivalent of Nuno Tavares on the right and soon.
Central midfield and striker are where the key upgrades can be found. A striker for the future who can elevate Arsenal to the sides with a forward in the bracket of the elite can establish them amongst those same clubs.
In midfield, Thomas Partey and Albert Sambi Lokonga were great purchases but Arsenal needs to move on from Granit Xhaka and find a midfielder who can offer the leadership and passing of the Swiss international without the fear of a horrendous error in their game.
With these bases covered and the talent coming through the youth ranks, Arteta and Edu have one of the best-coiled springs in the game.
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