Forget Laca. Forget Auba. When we need a goal, it's La Cabra!

La Cabra has struck yet again, delivering a crucial equaliser that re-seized the momentum as we won us our first match of the season. His goal, coming minutes after Arnautovic opened the scoring for West Ham on a day when we looked just as likely to score as to concede. What's remarkable, though, about Monreal's fourth goal of 2018—third-best in the squad after Aubameyang (10) and Lacazette (6)—is that each and every goal that Monreal has scored for Arsenal has lifted us out of a draw or brought us back to level terms. That's a stunning stat that shows how vital Monreal has been going forward.

Arsenal 1-2 Östersunds FK—Vote for Player Ratings/MOTM!

It was awfully touch-and-go there in the first twenty minutes as our visitors twice took advantage of a sloppy, high line and slip-shod defending, scoring twice in a matter of seconds to seize an early 0-2 lead, offering in the process one of the most ironically Arsenal of Arsenal moments in recent memory—seizing a confident, seemingly insurmountable lead in the first leg only to suffer an historic second leg comeback to get knocked out on away goals. Somewhere, Bayern were enjoying this. Thankfully, it was moments after halftime that Kolašinac latched onto a failed clearance to make it 1-2, settling a few jangled nerves and unclenching if not wiping more than a few squeaky bums. Things settled down from there, and although it was hardly the swaggering walk in the park we might have hoped for, we're through to the next round. So it goes. Let's get down to the poll to rate the lads!

Arsenal 2-1 Swansea—vote for player-ratings/MOTM!

Arsenal dominated most of the first half only to see Swansea's Clucas score on a counter, and it looked like Swansea's defensive set-up would be enough to keep the clean sheet. However, we came storming out of halftime with two goals, as Kolašinac scored during a scramble and then assisted Ramsey moments later. There was a ten-to-fifteen minute stretch there during which it looked like Arsenal would blow the game wide-open. In the end, though, things settled down into a comfortable rhythm, more or less, or Swansea never really rose to the occasion after that. It's three points in the bag against a club we've struggled to beat in the past, and it's enough to see us climb into the top four, if only temporarily. Good enough for now. Let's get down to the poll to rate the lads!

Chelsea 0-0 Arsenal: Vote for Player Ratings and MOTM!

Arsenal looked like the better squad for long stretches of the match and came agonizingly close when Ramsey poked past Courtois only to strike woodwork, and Lacazette couldn't redirect the rebound. Midway through the second half, Mustafi headed home from a Xhaka cross but was rightly ruled offside. With five minutes to play, David Luiz was shown a straight red for a reckless challenge on Kolašinac. All things considered, I might even go so far as to say we should be disappointed to come away with only a point.

Let's get to the poll and rate the lads!

Arsenal 3-1 FC Köln—vote for Player Ratings and MOTM!

Arsenal overcame an all-too-familiar shaky start, conceding a silly but stil-exquisite goal when Ospina was forced to come off his line to clear the ball only to see Cordoba score from 50 yards out. From there until halftime, it looked as if Köln could get away with sitting back to defend the lead. However, Kolašinac came on in the second half and electrified the Emirates with a stunning strike, doing his level-best to channel Lukas Podolski, and from there, Köln crumbled. Alexis and then Bellerín got in on the action, and Arsenal come away with a much-needed Europa League win. That's two on the bounce as we prepare to invade Stamford Bridge. Enough for now; let's get down to the poll to rate the lads!

Mahrez prepares his Arsenal audition as Arsène looks on...

And so it begins. From winning the FA Cup to winning the Community Shield defeating Chelsea each time we now embark on a Prem campaign with a bit of momentum, if not confidence. To open against Leicester only exacerbates the nerves, and, when you look at the 2017/18 Premier League betting odds, you'll notice that Arsenal aren't considered challengers. Most punters pick us to finish fifth, no higher. Yes, it's been nice to add Lacazette and Kolašinac, but there's been more talk around Mahrez joining Arsenal than about the actual opening of the season. So it goes. Will this be Mahrez's audition? There is still time enough in the transfer-window to consummate. For now, though, the more-pressing matter is to start the campaign properly. With that in mind, nothing less than a proper battering of the Foxes will do.

Do we want Man U to win the Europa League?

Europa League. Thursday nights. Matches in Turkey, Ukraine, Russia, and other hinterlands. We're consigned to it for the 2017-18 campaign, but what do we make of it? There are some who say we should just throw in the towel, treat it like an extended League Cup, and play a weakened side just to get it over with. Who are we at Arsenal to go grubbing around for some second-rate, tin-cup silverware? Then again, maybe there's some silver-lining to be found if we are in fact willing to dig deep enough to find it...