Arsenal got off to a tremendous start in the Premier League and more than lived up to their early season billing as not only genuine top four contenders but also the chance that even more could come.
With a free-flowing first half at Selhurst Park they should have been out of sight within the first 30 minutes, their 2-0 score line at the end of the game was a demonstration of how far they've come as well, holding off a stubborn Palace side at arm's length in the second half.
Perhaps the most impressive thing is that this still isn't Arsenal's best-looking team. Kieran Tierney is still to return, his introduction could move Oleksandr Zinchenko into midfield where he has looked silky for Manchester City and Ukraine. Emile Smith Rowe is making his steps back into training and could be involved sooner rather than later, adding extra creativity for the already on-form Gabriel Jesus.
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With Fabio Vieira also making his own larger steps towards starting life in an Arsenal shirt, there could be as many as three new faces still to come into the team before any new signings are made, and preparation for incomings is certainly well underway.
Both in central midfield and further forward Arsenal are putting short and long-term plans in place to become a sustainable threat to those around them in the league and also those still far away ahead. With Youri Tielemans being a target now but also with the chances that Edu could strike a free deal for next summer - as football.london understands is in work - Arsenal are strengthening for now and the future.
The same can be said for youngster Yeremy Pino. The 19-year-old Villarreal winger contributed to 10 goals in 31 matches last season despite it being just his second full year in La Liga. His credentials are rightly high, as an 18-year-old he scored three times and assisted once in his first senior year.
The Spain U21 forward can play across the front line and has been heavily looked at by the Gunners. It is reported in Spain, via AS, that a deal is close to being agreed between the sides. He currently has a large £67.5m release clause, but the Yellow Submarine are in financial troubles and could be persuaded by a lower offer this summer.
The youngster is still raw, but he would add not only immediate pressure on Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah, but he also fits the bill for the types of player that Arteta has grown extremely fond of in his time in London.
The manager has seen the best come from Saka and Smith Rowe, whilst Martinelli and Nketiah have scored more goals for the Spanish manager at Arsenal than they have anybody else. If Pino is brought in then it would certainly be with a mind to watching him grow over the coming seasons, but with Arteta's record of development, he could be an immediate hit.
Add in the new club captain Martin Odegaard and the Arsenal front four is one of the most dynamic, interchangeable, young and destructive attacks in the league.
There are a number of ways that the Gunners could line up in their 4-2-3-1 shape, and there a few examples, keeping in mind that the first seven names would remain the same in all systems: Ramsdale, Tomiyasu, Saliba, Gabriel, Tierney, Zinchenko, Partey.
The one where it's Holte end only
Saka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe, Nketiah
Perhaps not the first choice set due to Nketiah's position over Jesus, but with three players all coming from the academy in one first-choice front four it is still something to behold.
The one where everyone is signed
Pino, Odegaard, Martinelli, Jesus
Four Arsenal signings -with a deal for Pino completed in this universe - and four players with real flair and quality. Although Martinelli might not be the favourite to start over Saka or Smith Rowe he is still more than capable of holding his own in an attack that would have defenders looking everywhere due to the electric movement.
The one where realism takes over
Saka, Odegaard, Smith Rowe, Jesus
Okay, enough fantasy land for a minute. When everyone is fully fit this is most likely to be the direction that Arteta goes in. Although Smith Rowe is most suited to a central spot, and Odegaard is extremely flexible so wouldn't be averse to mixing and matching throughout the game, these are Arsenal's best four players in these four positions. With two left footers and two right footers, there is the freedom to interchange as well.
The one with some integration
Saka, Odegaard, Pino, Jesus
Not too dissimilar to the last one, and it does feel harsh to leave Smith Rowe out, but if the signing of Pino does get completed then bringing him into a front four like this feels like a nice introduction.
As he has previously played up front and Jesus has become accustomed to being a wide player himself it doesn't feel impossible that the two could swap during a match either.
The one where it's Carabao Cup day
Martinelli, Smith Rowe, Pino, Nketiah
When it comes to a long season and Thursday night football, rotation is key. This line-up would still possess class, flexibility and creativity, but it also provides a chance to experiment and get Smith Rowe some minutes in a central position as the main talisman. In Nketiah there is a proven cup goal-scorer, Pino would benefit from the minutes and Martinelli will need all the game time he can get considering he could become the sixth-choice winger with all Smith Rowe, Jesus, Saka, Pino and Odegaard all arguably better than him in a wide position.
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