Arsenal’s high-profile summer signings grabbed headlines in a pre-season brimming with goals and optimism – but it was an ‘old’ new face that made the biggest impression at the start of the season.
Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko brought their winning mentality from Premier League champions Manchester City with them as they reunited with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta as he tried to drive the Gunners forward this season.
And although both showed quality and pedigree as Arsenal opened the season with a 2-0 win at Crystal Palace, it was 21-year-old William Saliba’s defensive display that eclipsed all others. and caused real excitement among visiting fans.
Saliba took the scenic route to his first Premier League start after joining Arsenal from St Etienne for £27million in July 2019. He accepted loan spells at his parents’ club, then Nice and Marseille, where he impressed enough to win full French honours.
He was the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Season last year and his absence from the Emirates Stadium has raised questions about his place in Arteta’s plans, with Marseille keen to make his loan deal permanent. Arteta insisted that he was only being careful with Saliba until her development reached a stage where its time had come, and judging by a truly outstanding performance at Selhurst Park, it has now arrived.
Jesus, who will provide Arsenal with speed, movement, and goals, shone when he took the lead with Gabriel Martinelli, but as the match progressed and the Palace finally galloped, Saliba provided such calm command and controlled power that he emerged as the outstanding game performer player.
Saliba’s central defensive partnership with Gabriel is still in its infancy and there have been anxious moments when Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale had to jump into action to save Odsonne Edouard and Eberechi Eze.
However, Saliba was unflappable the entire time and practically flawless to please the manager with him.
It’s a match, an early decision, and no one at Arsenal will be carried away by their result or performance. Saliba, on the other hand, looked so exciting, confident and, despite all the background noise, confirmed that he is a top-tier defender ready for the Premier League that some excitement should be authorized.
Arsenal simply carried on their exciting pre-season form in this first game of the season, dominating possession and leading Palace in a way that suggested Arteta had used his time well, screwing up young and established talent from last season. on its new arrivals.
ALSO READ: 2022-23 Premier League Predictions: Who Will Finish Where, How?
They had to resist the pressure from Palace and it took a late Bukayo Saka shot deflected by Palace’s England defender Marc Guehi to seal the deal, but it was a well-deserved win.
It was all so different from last season’s opener on Friday night when a Covid-stricken Arsenal were given the unwanted contract at newly-promoted Brentford and sank obediently and without a trace in what has been a terrible start to the season. £ 50 million newcomer Ben White had a nightmarish start, although he was not alone.
Here Arsenal showed no nerve in the kind of atmosphere Selhurst Park specializes in and could have gone ahead even before Martinelli scored the opener as all of Palace’s initial enthusiasm found its way. single expression by passing the ball chased all parts of the playing field. Arteta has strongly hinted that there will be more new arrivals before the transfer window ends, with Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans constantly hooked up, and while Manchester City and Liverpool are keenly keen to lead another two-horse title race, Chelsea are in a state of flux and Arsenal could easily arrange a top four match.
The Arsenal manager received some mockery for his style of him in the latest documentary “All Or Nothing” about access to all areas, but opening evidence suggests he did a job this summer intelligent.
Fabio Vieira, the £ 34m midfielder bought from Porto, will be an asset when he’s fit, while there was the welcome sight of Kieran Tierney being restored to full health and stepping in as a replacement, ready to restore his influence.
Arsenal fans will be wary of reaching conclusions too quickly, but the imperious way in which Saliba has approached a match that always presents a test, even with the Palace short of their best, will only increase the welfare factor. generated by the addition of proven, winning qualities in the shape of Jesus and Zinchenko.
Joyful Gunners fans sang “top of the charts” in the closing moments – ironic of course, but a strong statement that this was a far more enjoyable experience than the opening Friday night of the Premier League action.
