Arsenal: 5 talking points from 1-0 win over Norwich

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta reacts at the final whistle during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Norwich City at the Emirates Stadium in London on September 11, 2021. - - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images) /

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Arsenal’s Japanese defender Takehiro Tomiyasu takes a shot during the English Premier League football match between Arsenal and Norwich City at the Emirates Stadium. (Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images) /

4. Five of Arsenal’s Six Summer Signings Start – Arteta’s Message

The spending spree laid out before our very eyes. The only exception on the day was Nuno Tavares who stayed on the bench, but elsewhere five of the six summer signings not only played, they started.

Arteta has not been happy with the squad. Nobody would be after the season just passed, even if many of the failings fell on his lap.

But going out and splashing £150m on six new faces to then go and start five of them in a game where nothing short of three points would suffice sends out a strong message that what has been on show up until this point has not been of the standard required.

While Sambi may not start in normal circumstances once Granit Xhaka returns and Aaron Ramsdale may not quite have assumed the number one jersey just yet, seeing a vastly different looking side take to the pitch was the morale boost supporters, and the players, needed.

Calum Chambers and Cedric needn’t be told again that they’re below par when Tomiyasu comes in after just one day of training, while Bernd Leno may learn a thing or two about communication with Ramsdale an ever-vocal presence in between the sticks.

Far from perfect, the team that was out there on Saturday is one fans can all find much easier to rally behind.

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