It may be the international break, but Arsenal are still hard at work on the training ground at London Colney.
Despite a recent upturn in form that has seen them pick up 10 points from their last four matches, several Gunners players were overlooked to represent their countries during this fortnight pause from the Premier League.
Mikel Artea will be grateful for this as it give him even more time to work with his team ahead of their return to action against Crystal Palace on October 18.
It also gives the Spaniard extra time to take a look at some of the exciting youngsters coming through the Hale End academy hoping to follow in the footsteps.
The training sessions have taken on even more of an interest than normal thanks to Jack Wilshere's return to London Colney on a temporary basis.
Here are three things football.london noticed from the latest session.
Defensive work continues
Before the last international break Arsenal had conceded nine goals in just three Premier League matches. Since then though the Gunners have gone on to concede just one in their next four.
What has changed? Well the arrival of Takehiro Tomiyasu has been key, but equally important has been the defensive partnership of Ben White and Gabriel.
The pair have been imperious since the Brazilian returned from injury and the England international returned from a battle with COVID.
Many baulked at the £50 million price tag Arsenal paid Brighton for White, questioning why they didn't move for Raphael Varane. So far this season though it is the Gunners number four who has more clean sheets than the Frenchman.
Describing his centre back pairing White admitted it was pretty instinctive how they had formed such a quick bond.
"He doesn't speak much English. I don't speak Portuguese," White explained during a Twitch live stream.
"There’s not much we can say to each other. But we know what we have to do. We just click."
The ground work for it was laid during the last international break, and with extra time on the training ground it seems the connection between the 23-year-old pair is only going to get stronger.
Youngsters called up
Youngsters being called up to train with the first team is not exactly something new at this point.
Exciting talents like Salah-Eddine, Charlie Patino, Omar Rekik and Jack Henry-Francis have all had their moments up with the big boys this season.
But with the under-23s in Premier League Cup action on Wednesday against Bournemouth, this recent session at London Colney represented a chance for some fresh faces to impress Mikel Arteta.
Included among them were midfielder Tim Akinola, who has showed impressive form in the middle of the park for Kevin Betsy's under-23 side despite expectations that he would move out on loan this season.
Goalkeeper James Hillson was also involved in the session. With Aaron Ramsdale and Bernd Leno both away with England and Germany respectively, this represented a chance for the youngster to test himself against some of the first team's finest finishers like Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah.
Wilshere's promotion
The big story of this week has been Jack Wilshere's return to London Colney to take part in training.
Announced on Thursday, it was probably one of the worst kept secrets in football, as Arteta and his former teammate had publicly admitted conversations had taken place over bringing the England international back temporarily.
The former Hale Ender is expected to work closely with the next generation of Arsenal youngsters as he seeks to do his coaching badges.
While Arteta was keen to assert that it would be nothing more than that despite rumours Wilshere could be offered a short-term contract at the Emirates, it seems the former Gunners number 10 is already quickly rising up the ranks.
After his initial arrival the 29-year-old was put through his paces with the under-18s alongside the likes of highly rated defender Taylor Foran.
He was then moved up to training with the first team as images emerged of him competing alongside fellow academy midfield product Ainsley Maitland-Niles.
