Napoli away tonight, and Arsenal got there late. Airport chaos across the UK delayed the flight, the squad reached their hotel in southern Italy behind schedule, and Arteta's press conference at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona was cancelled. Not ideal for the opening game of the league phase.
The better news is who was on the plane. Jurriën Timber is in the travelling squad for the first time since May. He hasn't featured at all this season, and having him available again changes the shape of the back line more than any signing did in August.
Marli Salmon, 17, travelled too. Cristhian Mosquera didn't. He sat out Monday's session with the muscular problem picked up against Villa and will miss a second successive game, which is how these things go when a club calls something "not too serious" three times.
So Riccardo Calafiori carries more of it. Player of the Month nomination in August, and by his own account he's enjoying the timing of this one. He arrived from Bologna for £33.6m and it's taken him two seasons to look like the obvious pick.
The Guardian has the sharpest read on Martin Ødegaard's start — that the new thing isn't his passing but his running into the box, arriving as a threat rather than a supplier. Three goals in all competitions already. That's where the goals are coming from with no striker signed.
Budapest was 102 days ago. Arteta says he's relishing another go, and there isn't much else he could say.
Eight Ballon d'Or nominations for the club, Arteta among them for Coach of the Year.
On the women's side, Georgia Stanway has already altered how Arsenal move up the pitch. For eighteen months that route was Kim Little and Mariona. Lisa Baum's solo goal won it at Brighton, 1-0, and Crystal Palace come to the Emirates on Sunday.
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