Arsenal have made an incredible start to the season, sitting top of the Premier League after eight games and top of their Europa League group after two matches played. Plenty of praise has been directed towards Mikel Arteta for the style of play and the squad he has built at the club.
The start hasn't just happened overnight, though and has been the culmination of years of change and rocky patches to overcome in his tenure. A huge squad turnover has replaced underperforming high-earners for young and hungry signings that have looked to make their mark at the Emirates.
Elements of that could be seen last campaign, though their application was misguided at times and resulted in a fifth-placed finish rather than the desired return to the Champions League. However, Arteta has continued his project and even given the good start, he continues to raise those standards at the club.
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"I'm really happy with the result, scoring three goals and keeping a clean sheet," The manager said after a comprehensive victory over Bodo/Glimt on Thursday night. "But as well, I'm very conscious that there are things we can do much better, especially the way we dominated the game in certain periods."
It's that attitude that makes imperious winners in sport, the desire to always be greater at the given discipline and has seen the likes of Pep Guardiola do what he does. That desire is the majority of the battle, while the application is the other part that translates challengers to winners.
Arteta has exactly that in his squad, too, in the form of Gabriel Jesus, who was a serial winner at Manchester City and has already looked to improve Arsenal since joining in the summer. He is someone that the manager has set as an example to follow, saying: "I love his mentality.
"It doesn't matter how long he players, when he plays, in which position. He always gives absolutely everything. You see his pressing when he goes on the pitch, it makes the team different. His energy as well. Obviously, today he [made] an outstanding action to create the third goal."
Before adding whether that sets a precedent in the squad: "Well, especially if he does it. He has won everything in the last five years, imagine what the rest have to do, so follow him because he's always in the right spot."
It remains to be seen whether the squad have enough to take those performances and results and turn them into trophies. However, they are certainly on the right path with a mentality to reach that higher level.
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