If ever there was a game for Mikel Arteta to rotate, then it was at home to Sheffield United.
The Blades are bottom of the Premier League for good reason and Saturday’s 5-0 defeat at the Emirates Stadium means they have lost nine of their opening 10 games.
They have conceded the most goals (29), have the joint-lowest points (1) and the joint-worst goal difference (-22) of any side after 10 games in Premier League history.
Arteta made five changes for the game and, even with the low level of opposition, so many alterations would have felt unlikely in the past.
The Spaniard kept rotation to a minimum last season and squad depth was clearly an area where Manchester City had the upper hand in the title race.
This year, though, Arsenal’s summer recruitment means they are better equipped to rotate.
There is a sense too that Arteta trusts more of his squad and, as such, is happy to make changes.
That should not be surprising when you consider the five players he brought into the team on Saturday were worth a combined fee of around £117million.
“There is depth,” said Arteta. “Obviously it will depend on the injuries that we pick up and where we have that depth because having injuries in certain lines is going to affect you in a way where you don’t have the right replacement.
"There is a sense that Arteta trusts more of his squad and, as such, is happy to make changes"
“So far we are coping with it and everybody feels really connected and everybody feels that they have a chance and that’s a really positive thing to have in the squad.”
Arteta has also been accused of a lack of in-game rotation and leaving players on for too long when a match is won.
But on Saturday, Ben White and Gabriel Martinelli came off after 66 minutes and Bukayo Saka was subbed on 73 minutes, meaning he could walk off the pitch, rather than limp.
The true willingness of Arteta to rotate will be proved deeper into the season, but so far there is a marked change from last year.
That can only be a good thing for Arsenal, who faded badly in the title race.
Arteta and the club do not want a repeat of that this season, and the hope will be that more rotation allows them to peak at the business end of the campaign.
