1) The William Saliba hype is real
First Premier League start you say? How about a clean sheet, a crunching highlight reel tackle on the opposition’s star player, a 96% pass accuracy, completing 100% of your take-ons, winning 100% of your aerial duels, and a MOTM award? The William Saliba hype is real. He’s going to have a fantastic season for us, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he makes the shortlist for the Premier League’s Young Player of The Season Award come May. At only 21 years of age, we have a gem of a centre-half on our hands. This kid is the real deal, if you didn’t know already.
2) Ben White can cover MORE than competently at right-back
Due to Tomiyasu recently returning from long-term injury and Saliba’s excellent previous season and pre-season form, Ben White deputised at right-back in our League opener under the lights at Selhurst Park. Along with his physicality, calm nature and elite ball-playing ability, you can add versatility to the list of top tier attributes that the English defender possesses. The 24-year-old didn’t look one bit out of place and kept Wilfried Zaha relatively quiet throughout the 90 minutes in a feisty battle down the right side of the pitch. Maybe we don’t need to sign a back-up right back after all?
3) Ødegaard needs to pull the trigger more
Arsenal’s Norwegian starlet, who was recently named the club’s new captain following Alex Lacazette’s departure, has outstanding technical ability, brilliant vision and top-class playmaking talent. However, he needs to shoot more and get more shots off more quickly. It really is as simple as that. Gabriel Jesus did some excellent pressing work to regain possession in Palace’s final third in the second half before laying the ball off to Ødegaard in the box, who should’ve scored but for one or two too many touches. He reminds me of Ozil in his reluctance to shoot when golden opportunities to score present themselves. He doesn’t always have to be the facilitator. Have a crack, Martin!
4) Ramsdale has started the season in the same way he started last season
A clean sheet, a clutch save, some excellent distribution and a big smile on his face as the final whistle blows to mark a big W. Aaron Ramsdale’s performance last night was reminiscent of the sort of top form that saw him keep 6 clean sheets in his first 10 Arsenal games. It’s going to be another big season for Arsenal’s new number one, who suits his new number perfectly.
5) Martinelli can double his goal tally from last season
The boy from Brazil scored 6 times in 36 appearances across all competitions for Arsenal last season. He ends the first game of the current season with 1 in 1. We already know that Martinelli can score double figures for us, as he became the first teenager since Nicolas Anelka to do so when he scored ten times in his 2019/20 debut season. After a few seasons of settling in at the club, developing his physique, and maturing with more and more game time, I have no doubt about it that an injury-free campaign for the 21-year-old could see him hit half a dozen or more goals for us. Us Arsenal fans are already fully aware of Gabi’s ability and hopefully this is the season that he begins to truly realise his potential and translate it into higher goal and assist numbers.
6) Xhaka is still getting yellow cards.. But in new ways!
Granit Xhaka getting booked isn’t really something we’re not used to, with the 29-year-old finishing last season as Arsenal’s top yellow card (9) and red card (2) receiver. However, it looks like he’s found a new way of getting cautioned that isn’t via reckless tackling or strangling opposition players. The Swiss international added diving to his world class card-eliciting abilities for a dive that Tom Daley would be proud of in the first-half of last night’s London derby. Leave it out, Granit!
7) We will win more away games this season than last season
Arsenal had a pretty symmetrical away record in the Premier League last season, winning 9 games, drawing 1 and losing a further 9, which saw us sit below Brighton in 6th place in the 2021/22 away table. However, everything I saw from our side last night tells me that we will be a lot more consistent and win a lot more games on the road this season. Firstly, we won the game fairly comfortably at a stadium and against a team which we usually have a lot more trouble against (see: Crystal Palace 3-0 Arsenal 2021/22). Furthermore, the team has even more high-level talent in it this season, with the likes of Saliba, Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus, who have hit the ground running. On top of that, the team chemistry and unity looks like it’s at an all-time high under Arteta. The players are really playing for each other and the system that the Spaniard has been implementing over the last three years seems like it’s starting to be practised perfectly. I say we win a few more than 9, draw more than 1 and lose a few less than 9 away from home this season.
8) Oleksandr Zinchenko can be our play-making full back
One game, one clean sheet, one assist, and one amazing chant (shout out the Arsenal away end!). Life for Zinny in red and white has started perfectly. We are already fully aware of how good he is as a footballer, but the 2022/23 season may be the best yet personally for the versatile Ukrainian. His 82-minute debut last night reminded me of how his former teammate Joao Cancelo marauds forward for Manchester City and dictates play from wide areas, chipping in with vital assists and goals. I can’t wait to see more from Oleksandr as the season goes on and see what happens when KT is back to full fitness and whether he can permanently displace him from the side, or whether the 25-year-old is moved further forward into midfield.
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