After winning six of their first seven Premier League games, Arsenal may have had mixed feelings about taking a couple of weeks off for the international break.
Mikel Arteta's side won their last Premier League match away at Brentford, helping them recover from a setback against Manchester United the previous weekend. That means the Gunners remain top of the league, though defeat against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday would see them fall behind their fierce rivals.
With some injuries hitting the squad before the break, though, the fortnight without a game could allow certain key men the time to return and play a part, while also giving Arteta insight into those squad members who did represent their countries. Here, Mirror Football looks at the lessons learned over an interesting few days.
Never play Saka at left-back
New question marks arrived at left-back during the break. Kieran Tierney suffered a clash of heads on Scotland duty while Oleksandr Zinchenko is facing a race against time to be fit for this weekend after sitting out Ukraine's games.
In the past, with options limited, Arteta has opted to let Granit Xhaka slot in on the left hand side of defence. However, when England manager Gareth Southgate used Bukayo Saka at left wing-back against Italy, there was a suggestion another option might emerge.
Saka has played at left back or left wing-back for Arsenal in the past, but the display in Milan suggested there's not a strong argument for a repeat. Not only did his defensive game fail to set the world alight, but it soon became clear England were missing out on his impact in the area where he's used to delivering in an Arsenal shirt.
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Saliba benefits from experience
France teammate Kylian Mbappe was full of praise for William Saliba after France's Nations League win against Austria. However, things weren't as rosy for the Arsenal centre-back in the following game.
Saliba's sixth cap came from the bench, and he impressed after being thrown in as an early substitute for the injured Jules Kounde. That came in a back three marshalled by the experienced Raphael Varane, though, and he had less success away to Denmark as part of a trio also containing Benoit Badiashile and Dayot Upamecano.
While there's no doubt the former Marseille loanee has impressed this term, it's easy to forget he's still just 21 years old. He might not be ready to be the senior centre-back yet, but that's just fine.
Ramsdale gaining from not playing
With England number one Jordan Pickford out injured, some expected Aaron Ramsdale to be handed a chance to add to his three senior England caps. Instead, though, the 24-year-old watched on from the bench as Nick Pope played against Italy and Germany.
Ramsdale wasn't at his best in his last England outing, a 4-0 defeat at home to Hungary over the summer. However, Pope hardly strengthened his claim for the jersey in the draw with Germany at Wembley, with his mistake allowing Kai Havertz to equalise for the visitors.
Arteta may look at how poor England form has increased the pressure on others at club level, with Manchester United's Harry Magure a prime example. It could be the case that Ramsdale, and indeed Ben White, can benefit from staying out of the firing line.
A break can be a blessing in disguise
Some were surprised to see Brazil name a squad for their recent double header without including any of Arsenal's three Gabriels. Jesus, Magalhaes and Martinelli all stayed in London as Tite's squad crossed the Atlantic, reducing the risk of picking up injuries on international duty.
It was a different story for this weekend's opponents, though. While Richarlison may have returned from Brazil duty unscathed, there have been reports of an injury for Dejan Kulusevski during his time away with Sweden.
With a hectic October and November schedule before the World Cup, keeping the squad fit and energised must be Arteta's main priority. With that in mind, a few days off to regroup and recharge should help, providing the mental impact of missing out on an international squad this close to a major tournament isn't too severe.
