Arsenal were crying out for the structure and stability Mikel Arteta has brought to the team, but nights like Sunday with a crushing 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa underline why they will need more to succeed in the long run.
It is just a week since the Spaniard was widely praised for facilitating a performance of tactical discipline and measured execution in beating Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford. That victory felt like a landmark moment for the Gunners -- literally so, given they had not won a League game at United for 14 years -- building on last season's FA Cup success when they beat Manchester City and Chelsea en route to a maiden trophy under their first-year manager.