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Cheeky heel flick? Check. Prudent dummy? Check. Deft chip? You bet.
This is exactly how Mesut Ozil set up the final goal on the night when the German delved deep into the depths of his adroitness and played God after donning the captain's armband against a much-bemused Leicester City team. But did he shine so brightly throughout the entirety of the 90 minutes on that Monday night in North London? He didn't.
On Thursday night, Arsenal continued their impressive, and to a very large extent unheralded, run of wins when their second-half drudgery in Lisbon earned them a first win in Portugal and an 11th win on the trot. The first 45 minutes had an entirely different story to tell though. The Gunners were lackadaisical, blunt in their play, and largely unimpressive.
There's still nothing wholesome about Unai Emery's Arsenal. Yet they are on the verge of racking up a dozen consecutive wins unless the Eagles spring a surprise at Selhurst Park on Saturday night.
So can you really raise a glaring eyebrow though? Yes, especially if you're not interested in seeing the Emirates Stadium turn into a hub of myopic projects just like Old Trafford and, to a certain extent, Stamford Bridge.
Suffering the early season 'blues'
If you're a Spanish Señor inheriting a dynasty being previously administered by a French Monsieur for 22 years, the last thing you would want to do is lead your unpolished army against the ruler of the country. And that was the very plight which Unai Emery faced when the opening day fixtures were announced.
Arsenal were to face Manchester City at home. The Cityzens had mauled them on all occasions last season. The same team humiliated them the whole season. The same team's gameplay had already aligned to Pep Guardiola's philosophy to a T. Manchester City were only going to get stronger in the forthcoming campaign.
Things went as expected. Pep Guardiola and Co. romped to a comprehensive win at the Emirates. The Gunners were left trailblazing the entire night. But was this game an indicator of the things to come? No; and yes.
No, because, Arsenal's side was a work-in-progress and City were a time-chiselled product. Yes, because it marked the emergence of a trend that still exists and is bound to reflect in Arsenal's playing style all season long - hitting top gear in the second half.
Against City, the introduction of Lucas Torreira did help in the midfield battle. Alexandre Lacazette was certainly an improvement over Aaron Ramsey on offense. The North-Londoners did concoct a few chances.
It was a different story when Arsenal travelled to West London to spar with a rejuvenated Chelsea. In what was probably the only game where the Gunners played better football in the first half than in the second, loose defending and skied chances resulted in the away team falling short in a largely winnable game.
Dropping the hammer
Arsenal had lost two in two. The defenders didn't know what tracking a run meant. Granit Xhaka wasn't proprietary to the concept of a clean tackle. Aubameyang couldn't control his runs, let alone control his shots. Sure, Petr Cech was averaging a fair number of saves a game, but with the ball at his feet, he also looked the kind to score own goals for fun.
Things could only improve for Arsenal, and they did. It all started with another London derby, this time against a struggling West Ham outfit who too had lost their first two fixtures of the season. A poor start to the season is something that the Irons are used to by now, however, they were the fourth-highest spenders in the league this season and results were expected.
The Hammers did start comprehensively. Their defence had discipline, their passes zip, and their offence venom. While the Gunners were too busy exercising caution, West Ham brought their A-game to Unai Emery's men through Marko Arnautovic, Felipe Anderson and Michail Antonio. The Austrian soon found the back of the net leaving the home fans in despair. But things were about to change.
Five minutes later, a Hector Bellerin cross couldn't find any of the attackers in front of the goal, but it did fall at the feet of the Spanish left-back who had slotted in many chances from that position in the preceding season. Nacho Monreal pounced on the low cross, looked up and smashed the ball into Lukasz Fabianski's net, thereby putting the wheels in motion for Arsenal's journey.
Emery again made a few changes at half-time and Arsenal picked up their tempo. The Gunners attacked better, defended better, found the spaces better and finally took the lead after a cruel deflection led to Issa Diop putting the ball in his own net. An unflustered Danny Welbeck then struck from close range in the dying embers of the game to put the result beyond doubt.
The Unai Emery era had finally kick-started. Arsenal finally recorded their first points of the campaign. It was back to the drawing board for Manuel Pellegrini and Co. though.
Man with a plan?
Cardiff followed. Then Newcastle. Then Everton. Then Watford. Then Fulham. And then finally Leicester. Arsenal followed their victory against West Ham with six more Premier League wins, three UEFA Europa League wins, and a solitary Carabao Cup win. Arsenal have won 11 in a row now. But that's common knowledge.
What do the Gunners' performances so far have in common? They have always upped the ante in the second half. They have always been their better selves in the final 45 minutes. As appealing as that might sound, I want you to sit back and retrospect.
Did the Gunners always perform better in the second half during all these games because they had more left in the tank? Was it because they were so unimpressive, that being worse-off was not a possibility? Or was it opposing sides shedding their defensive premeditations to go get a result on the premise of their first-half display which gave Arsenal the opening they needed to run ragged on offence?
Cardiff held their own against the Gunners in a back-and-forth encounter, but Emery's side saw them off with a strong second-half display. Newcastle were as tight as they could have been in the early stages of the game but Arsenal's grind got them the W at the end.
Watford and Everton made the Arsenal back-line toil. Heck, they bullied the likes of Sokratis, Shkodran Mustafi and Rob Holding. But then again, it was that 15-minute phase in the second half that helped Arsenal record victories there as well.
Football with scorch or football with results?
At this juncture, results are more important than blazingly free-flowing football for Arsenal. After all, the same philosophy helped Jose Mourinho win three league titles with Chelsea. The same tactic helped Burnley eke out a European spot for this season.
But is result-based football ever a long-term solution? Will playing just to get the job done without having a fixed motive or approach in place the perfect modus operandi for a team looking to build a new dynasty on the ruins of the preceding years? It certainly isn't and Emery knows that.
If getting results was the target in the first few games, the Spaniard has certainly been affording his players the freedom to rampage in the offensive third of late.
Against Fulham, the game was already won when Aaron Ramsey scored a vintage Arsenal goal and made it 3-1 in the visitors' favour. But the Gunners kept at it and Aubameyang notched up a brace to make it 5-1.
Against Leicester too, after being pushed to the boundaries on many occasions, when Mesut Ozil and Co. did turn up, they completely swept the Foxes to take a 3-1 lead. The game could have ended 5-1 at the very least had Lacazette displayed the same meticulous finishing he did against the Cottagers.
As of now, it seems that securing the result is the first priority for the Gunners. Having said that, Unai Emery is certainly making the former Invincibles breathe fire till the final whistle whenever they have the momentum.
The Spaniard's excellence at reading the game and implementing the proper changes in the second half needs to be applauded. However, his inability to get the starting XI correct also cannot be overlooked.
Let's look at the positives now though. Torreira has been the perfect destroyer. Alex Iwobi(nho) has metamorphosized from a player with potential into a player with performances. Aubameyang coming off the bench is the perfect foil for tiring defences.
Everything seems to be in order for the Gunners. They also trail Manchester City only by two points.
So surely, surely, Arsenal must be considered as dark horses for the Premier League crown right? Not yet. Here's why.
Winter is coming... Does the North remember?
If you are an Arsenal fan, ask yourself this. If you are a Premier League fan, ask yourself this. Just how many times have you seen Arsenal start off the season impeccably, only to fall apart during the winter months and end up scampering to a top-four spot by spring?
This is one vicious cycle that has haunted Arsenal every darn season in the last decade - except for the previous campaign when the Emirates outfit was inconsistent from start to finish. And let's be honest here, in this winning run of the Gunners, Leicester City presented them the best challenge. Yet, Arsenal was expected to beat them none the less.
The Litmus test for Emery's side is scheduled for next Saturday when they host Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool at the Emirates. The result of that encounter will determine just how legit or basic this Arsenal side is.
Let's not downplay the significance of the final two months of the season where the Gunners are scheduled to play a minimum of 14 games. Dreary December will see the North Londoners face Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United on the trot, including a trip to Anfield on 29 December.
Arsenal's defence is still not up to scratch. The bench strength is also harrowing with Monreal, Sead Kolasinac and Cech all recuperating from their respective injuries.
Arsenal have been here before. And they've always been left reeling by fixture congestion. But all of that was under Arsene Wenger. Can Unai Emery bring something new to the table?
Will the players remain fit for a change? Will lateral burnout be a factor? These are some of the glaring questions that were hurled at them in the yesteryears for which they never had an answer.
Have the Gunners learnt their lessons? Do they remember their misfortunes of the past at this stage? Will they be able to redeem themselves this time? Only father time will bear the answer to all of this.
For now, things can still get better for the Gunners. The players haven't peaked yet. The team chemistry hasn't peaked yet. For what it's worth, Arsenal could continue to spring more surprises. But it is still inane to christen them as title contenders.
