Sheffield United 1 - 0 Arsenal

Give the Blades some credit; they played hard and smart.  But as soon as I saw the starting lineup, I knew we were in for disappointment.  What is Emery waiting for with Bellerin, Tierney, and Holding?  Why no Ozil?  Why, oh why, Xhaka?  At this point, I'm eager to see what a better manager can get out of this very talented Arsenal squad,  It has to be more than Emery is getting.

Arsenal 1 - 0 Bournemouth

It's embarrassing that the Gunners scored just once in the first half against what looked like eleven sleepwalkers.  Howe woke them up for the second, and the Cherries could have scored, but they didn't, and we got the three points we needed to climb into sole possession of third place, just one point back of Man City, who got outplayed 0-2 at the Etihad by Wolves.  At this point, I just hope Liverpool loses a game somewhere along the way so they aren't Invincibles too.  It's their league already, eight games in.  Man U and Spuds also lost in humiliating fashion, so we have a little cushion in the early going.  We'll need it if we don't start playing better in the league.

After the international break, our first eleven should be:

                             Leno

Bellerin  Chambers   Holding   Tierney

                  Torreira  Guendouzi

                          Willock

Aubameyang                             Saka

                       Lacazette


...if Laca is fit, of course.  Xhaka, Ceballos, and Ozil could play in MF when the situation called for it.  Nelson and Pepe are quality threats up front.  I'd relegate AMN, Kolasinac, Mustafi, Luiz, and Sokratis to backup/cup status in defense, but any of them could supplement the starting central defenders in a back three if Emery decided that was his formation (and honestly, I'd like to see that).  This team is really deep now, with a great mix of veterans, players in their prime, and young guys still improving.  The only first team players who seem to have no future at Arsenal are Ozil, Mustafi, and Mavropanos, and we have to move at least the first two on at our earliest opportunity.  I was sorry to see Iwobi sold, but after seeing Saka, Nelson, and Willock this year, I get how Arsenal couldn't turn down the money.  It was very good business for us.  The jury's out on Pepe.  We have Saliba and Nketiah available next year, so I am not sure we'd need to improve the squad by buying players.

But we do need to improve the players we have, and I wonder if that's something Emery is equipped for.  I'm also not sure he's using the squad to maximum effect, either in team selection or tactically.  (That's being very diplomatic.)  But I really like this team, they're almost all healthy, and they should kick on from the less-than-impressive start to the season that has nevertheless left them in OK position early on in the league, and very much  alive in the cup competitions.