Arsenal fans will surely be a happier bunch after Arsene Wenger and the players put on a good show away to Watford to record a first win of the new Premier League season. Along with the three points and some good play from the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott, Granit Xhaka and Petr Cech there were more positives from the Gunners as key players like Ozil, Koscielny and Cazorla returned to fitness.
So by the time Arsenal next line up to play, which is a home clash with Southampton on September 10th, all of the squad apart from those on the injury list should be totally match fir and ready to rock. We should also have Aaron Ramsey and Alex Iwobi available again although I expect the boss to ease them back into action.
My biggest concern is Olivier Giroud, as the big centre forward is yet to play a single minute of club football this season but he has been called up by Didier Deschamps anyway. France have two games to play, against Italy on Friday and then Belarus next Tuesday and I think the Arsenal striker is set to play.
Deschamps has not recalled Karim Benzema to his squad so if he is to continue with the same sort of system we have seen in the build up to and during Euro 2016 then Giroud will probably be his first choice to play through the middle.
Wenger clearly feels he is not ready or he would surely have featured as a sub at least, so is this international break a potential problem for Giroud, Arsenal and our hopes of mounting a proper title challenge.
Bob.