Mikel Arteta's patience is paying off after Kai Havertz and David Raya played pivotal roles for Arsenal in season-opening win over Wolves
- Arsenal beat Wolves 2-0 in their first game of the new Premier League season
- Kai Havertz scored Arsenal's opening goal, while David Raya made three saves
- LISTEN NOW: It's All Kicking Off!, available wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every Monday and Thursday
Patience and confidence. Of Mikel Arteta's many attributes, these are the two ingredients he has been able to particularly utilise with new arrivals.
Last summer Arsenal splashed the cash on Declan Rice (£110m), Jurrien Timber (£38.5m), Kai Havertz (£65m) and David Raya (loan with an option to buy).
Rice hit the ground running immediately as one of the Gunners' players of the season, and Timber missed out with a long-term injury. Though it was the two latter players who, at times, struggled.
Havertz was thrown in at left midfield and looked muddled on the pitch, the 3-1 victory over Manchester United causing a dent to his confidence after an error in the build-up allowed Marcus Rashford to score.
It took time for the German to find himself but when he did, particularly in the second half of the season as a false No 9, it was to sheer effect. He finished the campaign with 13 league goals.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta's patience is paying off after his Arsenal team shone on opening day
Kai Havertz scored Arsenal's first goal of the 2024-25 campaign, after netting 14 last season
For Raya, after Arteta's assertion that goalkeepers are interchangeable having dropped Aaron Ramsdale, he too was feeling the pressure. The 4-3 late win over Luton in December springs to mind where he made errors for two of the conceded goals.
It makes their turnaround since then all the more impressive. Bukayo Saka scored a goal and provided an assist to down Wolves on Saturday, but it was Raya's cat-like save in the first half — to deny Jorgen Strand Larsen's header — and Havertz's opening headed goal which laid the platform for three points.
Both played well and frustrated their opponents. They are now important pieces of this Arsenal line-up and solid performances from them are an expectation, rather than a surprise.
Arteta deserves his credit. It would have been easy to twist. The impatience from fans around Havertz was growing toxic, while Raya was only a loanee last season.
Havertz pictured (left) headed the ball firmly into the Wolves net at the Emirates Stadium for the opening goal
Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya made three saves as he recorded a clean sheet on Saturday
Some managers would have given in to popular opinion and dropped them, but the Spaniard did not. That takes bravery, and it shows the courage he has in his convictions.
Especially so with Raya, having made the 'goalkeepers are interchangeable' comment — yet never choosing to do so in the league.
It is that innate belief which has been the making of him, as seen in the tricky earlier moments of his tenure.
The success of these signings are likely why the Arsenal hierarchy listened to Arteta and obliged to buy another defender in this term, the £42m signing of Riccardo Calafiori.
And it is also why Real Sociedad's Mikel Merino, who Arteta is absolutely convinced upon — sporting director Edu flew to Spain recently to try finalise the deal — should be a safe bet.
The transfer window closes in just two weeks. You can expect Arteta to be backed, within reason, for the targets he desires so Arsenal can achieve their ultimate goal.
