Robin van Persie came off the bench to feature in the second half without setting the world on fire, but it's a positive step that he actually played at all - I'm wondering if he's staying, but of course there's still a fair way to go before the window closes to potential buyers.
New signings Cazorla and Giroud also featured, and both looked very capable - I'm also starting to feel positive about the new season - remarkable!
Podolski said after the game:
"I have felt like a part of Arsenal from the first day and I am very proud to play here and wear the shirt. It was a great match and in my first game I scored two goals, so it was very good.
"It was a good test for us and I hope we can win against Sunderland next week."
So do I Lukas, so do I mate - what we don't need is another stuttering start to a season like we had last time around - we don't want to be playing catchup.
The Ox has been withdrawn from England duty this week - which is always a good thing despite reports that he's picked up an injury. Wenger won't want key players unavailable at this stage, given his recent bullish comments about our aims this season:
"We want to compete for honours and we have a desire to. We are up for it and what we want is to come out of the season and know we have given our best. I feel we did that last year, finishing third with the start we had."
"The first target is to do as well as we can in every single game and see where we stand at the end of the season, but of course we want to fight for the championship."
"We are in a much stronger position now because last summer we lost Nasri and Fabregas, and on top of that we lost Diaby and Wilshere injured. We lost four players at the start of last season and that is not the case this time."
I'm sure that there will be further transfer twists and turns before the action starts in earnest, but you know what? - I'm confident that we've got the assets in terms of players to cope with any high profile departures - RvP must take his choice - stays and fight for the title or take the money - but whatever is decided I'm sure we can live with it.
Roll on next weekend.
Source: FOOTYMAD
