Bukayo Saka celebration speaks volumes as Arsenal beat Wolves - 6 talking points
ARSENAL 2-0 WOLVES: Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka scored the goals as last season's Premier League runners-up began their quest for this season's title with a home victory against Gary O'Neil's men
For Mikel Arteta, the end goal this season is a simple one: Champions.
And Arsenal's title bid is up and running with three points, after goals in either half from Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka were enough to see off Wolves at the Emirates.
Havertz, selected ahead of Gabriel Jesus as the focal point of the Gunners attack by boss Mikel Arteta, nodded the hosts in front after 25 minutes, beating Jose Sa to Saka's right-wing cross.
Minutes later, Wolves almost levelled, but new No.9 Jorgan Strand Larsen saw his header beaten away by David Raya. Arsenal threatened to score again but couldn't take their chances, and Raya - who turned his loan move from Brentford permanent this summer - again came to their rescue to deny substitute Matheus Cunha.
Just as the home crowd began to get nervous that the away side could produce a surprise and equalise, England star Saka brilliantly jinked inside on his left foot and slammed an emphatic finish into the back of the net. His celebration - seemingly saying 'calm down, don't worry, I'm here' - told the story.
In the end, they were just a cut above their visitors. By the end of the season, Arteta will hope they're a cut above the rest too.
Here's six talking points from the Emirates...
1. You have to stop the cross
Defensively, Wolves were quite good early on. Not perfect, but they frustrated their hosts, didn't give any clear looks on Jose Sa's goal.
Then, in the 25th minute, a goal that was pretty much unforgivable went against them.
Saka claimed the assist, and while it's not the first nor will it be the last in his career, it will be tough if there's ever a more difficult one. Because when the ball was switched out to the right side after a set-piece had broken down, Wolves weren't in their defensive shape. But only new captain Mario Lemina, 6/7 yards away from Saka as the ball arrived at his feet, will know why he didn't sprint across to close down the England man.
Instead, he waited and looked around for team-mates, while Saka shuffled the ball back onto his right foot with all the time in the world to survey the scene, and picked out a cross from which Havertz notched. Had Lemina reacted quicker, he may have been able to have an influence.
2. The Rice-Havertz alignment
When Declan Rice and Havertz first arrived at the Emirates, it seemed that the duo were destined to operate together as part of a new-look midfield.
And while 12 months later, at the start of their second seasons in Arsenal red, the £170million duo are both very much fixtures in Arteta's first-choice starting lineup, their respective situations have greatly changed.
Rice initially appeared to have been signed to be the Gunners No.6, holding and screening the defence. Havertz, even by Arteta's own admission last summer, was going to dovetail in midfield with Martin Odegaard, the way David Silva and Kevin De Bruyne once would at Manchester City, while Arteta was Guardiola's No.2.
Alas, it didn't get the best out of either man. As England have found since the demise of Kalvin Phillips, when Rice is forced to be the deepest midfielder and is restrained, unable to use his physicality and athleticism to run all over opponents, he's half the player. And when you spend over £100million on a player, you want them to be the best version of themselves.
Thus, Jorginho and Thomas Partey returned and Rice's role changed. Defensively, it gave Arsenal a better balance and added security, and saw the ex-West Ham man find his best form, becoming a far more decisive performer.
That in turn meant Havertz, whose early showings were widely questioned, saw his situation change too. When Gabriel Jesus' injury issues reared their ugly head again and Eddie Nketiah having struggled to show he's the correct answer, the German was pushed into the False Nine role from which he won the Champions League with Chelsea. He's not everyone's cup of tea in the role. But he's now - it's pretty undisputed - the best fit for this Arsenal side when it comes to being their attacking focal point and getting the best from others.
His header here to open the scoring offered a reminder of that fact, as did his hold up play, his movement, the clever feet and touches to link with the club's other attacking lights. The less said about the right-foot shot from 12 yards - funnily enough when arriving from deep - five minutes into the second half, the better.
Neither player was signed for the position in which they now find themselves. But if Arsenal are to usurp City this season, these roles, for both men, look the way to go.
3. O'Neil's bold approach
For much of last season, whenever he could, Gary O’Neil used three centre-backs: Craig Dawson, Max Kilman and Toti Gomes. The latter would sometimes push out into full-back positions to cover for Rayan Ait Nouri if he had pushed up the field or follow strikers into midfield if they dropped back, so while Wolves would flit between a back four and a back five during matches, those three were important mainstays.
This term O’Neil is determined to take what he sees as the next step in his side’s development: Back four, higher line, an extra attacking player on the pitch.
With Kilman gone and Dawson a year older, that has seen the Wolves boss go with newly-minted Portugal international Toti and returning Colombian defender Yerson Mosquera - fresh from an impressive loan spell at Villarreal - working together throughout pre-season as a pair. Both are strong, quick, mobile, physical, as able to defend on the halfway line or wide areas as they are their own penalty box.
It was something of a surprise to see O’Neil go with the duo as just that in North London. Both Dawson and Santiago Bueno, the Uruguayan international, were on the bench.
But with the Wolves boss determined to make his side more of an attacking threat in his second season, he started with the back four which had been used during the summer.
4. And we all fall down
It was good to see referee Jarred Gillett and VAR Paul Tierney use their common sense in the early part of the second period after a clash between Havertz and Mosquera.
The pair collided after a bit of argy-bargy, Havertz ended on the floor and Mosquera wasn't best pleased, initially placing his hand high on the chest of the German; comically, as he was giving Havertz some verbals, he stumbled, and proceeded to try and stop his fall with his hands around the neck of Havertz, who duly made a meal of it.
Sadly, you've seen red cards dished out in such situations before and just completely ruin games. Thankfully, that wasn't the case here.
5. Saka into Salah...
If Arsenal are to hit that minimum 90-point mark that's needed to overhaul City and end their title stranglehold, then you feel Saka, their biggest goal threat, will need to do something he's not yet managed: Mo Salah numbers.
Well, one goal and one assist on the opening day is a pretty good start.
Saka's development in recent years has been remarkable, but you do wonder if he has the same single-minded ruthlessness that Liverpool's No.11 has. Certainly, his goalscoring threat continues to develop - last year was the first time he hit more than 15 goals in the league and the first time he hit 20-plus in all competitions.
At only 22 he is Arsenal's biggest goal threat. If he can have the kind of season that Salah has normalised during his Anfield pomp - certainly it's not going to be easy, but it feels like something of which he's capable - then winning the title can become a reality.
6. Campbell's tribute
Final word goes to Arsenal on a wonderful pre-match tribute to former striker Kevin Campbell.
The former Gunners hitman passed away over the summer months and Arsenal players wore black armbands here - as did boss Arteta on the touchline.
But the club also put out a wonderful video montage around the stadium before kickoff, that left more than a few elder Gunners supporters with tears in their eyes.
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