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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Jonathan Wilson

Arsenal’s calm win over Aston Villa hints at title-winning mentality

William Saliba hugs David Raya, Mikel Arteta, Leandro Trossard.
Left to right: David Raya hugs Arsenal teammate William Saliba; Mikel Arteta; Leandro Trossard. Composite: Guardian design

It’s still very early; the picture hasn’t cleared yet. Is what we are seeing happenstance or part of a pattern? Just one of those things or a definite flaw? A fluke or an identifiable characteristic? That’s one of the reasons there’s been so much talk about the chaos at Chelsea: the current shenanigans follow two years of chaos at Chelsea; it’s probably safe to think that the ongoing sense of chaos is real and a chaotic 6-2 win at Wolves on Sunday isn’t going to change that.

It’s also why Manchester City’s win away at Chelsea last week felt so ominous. Last season Chelsea twice forced draws against City; if City could beat them so straightforwardly, even with a number of players still returning after their summer exertions, then when are they going to drop points this season? Where is the opportunity for other teams?

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