The opening day of the Premier League season went off without a hitch for Arsenal, defeating Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0.
Arsenal looked the far more comfortable team in the first half, spending the vast majority of the opening 45 minutes in the visitors’ end and forcing three saves from Jose Sa before 20 minutes had passed. It took just 25 minutes for Kai Havertz to find his first goal of the campaign, opening Arsenal’s account as he nodded home a trademark cross from Bukayo Saka.
The second period was just as comfortable. Wolves grew back into the game but still failed to overcome the unrelenting tide of Arsenal’s attack. The Gunners doubled their lead in reverse of the first-half goal, as Havertz teed up a well-placed curling effort for Saka.
Here’s five things we learned from the game…
Wolves gave Arsenal far too much respect
From kick-off, Wolves did not appear to be set up with victory in mind. Adopting a new 4-2-3-1 formation, the visitors were prepared to sit deep and absorb Arsenal’s pressure, but struggled to deal with the Reds’ star-studded attack. Havertz and Saka seemed to be having a lot of fun in the first half, working in behind with ease and creating plenty of chances, with Wolves just about coping for the majority of the half but ultimately failing to prevent their hosts from scoring.
The decision to sit so deep limited Wolves’ attack. Hee-Chan Hwang, who was tied as the Midlands club’s top league scorer last season, managed just 16 touches of the ball in the first 45, with shots coming from a rather ambitious Bellegarde free kick and a close range Larsen header, a somewhat isolated chance.
2024 is the year of Kai Havertz
It took Havertz a while to come to terms with the Premier League. He struggled to make his mark at Chelsea over three seasons after signing from Bayer Leverkusen, and took his time adjusting after moving across London to Arsenal.
In 2024 however, he has come alive, rediscovering the form that saw him labelled one of Europe’s most promising players so many years ago. In 2024, he has averaged a goal or assist every 94 minutes in the Premier League, an impressive return, and scored both his and Arsenal’s first goals of the campaign.
With one goal and one assist on the day, not to mention posing a constant threat in attack, Havertz has set the tone for a massive campaign. His partnership with Saka is excellent, with the pair assisting one another either side of the break in a combination which will be set to cause problems for defenders up and down the league.
Sixty million down the drain? Continue this form and the German could be among the favourites for the Golden Boot.
Wolves need to replace Neto and Kilman, and fast
It has been a somewhat lopsided transfer window for Wolves thus far, as they have seen two key players in Pedro Neto and Max Kilman depart without bringing in replacements of a similar calibre. That decision is clearly going to have an impact.
Wolves set up to counter-attack today, but struggled to get going as the defence seemed largely unable to stand up to Arsenal’s attack. When the ball was won back, the counter itself missed Neto’s spark on the right wing, with Hee-Chan failing to reproduce his direct dribbling and pace.
Signing a winger and centre back with quality worthy of a Premier League starting eleven should be top priority for Wolves.
Raya rewards Arteta’s patience
After taking over the number one spot from Aaron Ramsdale last year and making his loan move permanent, David Raya has become crucial to this Arsenal side. The Spaniard divided opinion in the early stages of last season but eventually won over both fans and staff, today making a crucial close range save to prevent Wolves from equalising. His contributions will be key to Arsenal’s title charge.
Will Zinchenko struggle to hold on to his starting position?
Now 27 years old, Oleksandr Zinchenko is facing a crucial season. Can he prove his worth at Arteta’s Arsenal, or will he depart for pastures new? Today’s match failed to provide a clear answer, as a solid if uninspiring performance saw him hooked in favour of Jurrien Timber just before the 70-minute mark.
Playing at left-back, the Ukraine international produced a mixed performance. Stepping into midfield in possession, he was relatively effective in kickstarting the Arsenal attack, though a string of unforced errors and losses of control marred his outing. He failed to complete a cross, and just half of his attempted long balls found their intended target. With recent signing Riccardo Calafiori waiting in the wings, Zinchenko’s could be set to resume his role as a second-string squad player should he fail to impress ahead of the September international break.
FEATURED IMAGE: Adrian DENNIS / AFP VIA ONE FOOTBALL
