[center]The New Improved Arsenal[/center]
Three important incidents in the game against Blackburn Rovers revealed the small characteristics of Arsenal today that are contributing to what might be a positive season.

Thomas Vermaelen was fouled, fell to the floor and got up again without moaning at the referee. He didn't get up and cover his defensive position given that he was by now almost in the opposition third. He got up and stormed forward to add a 5th offensive player and then made it one-nil. Not long after, Francesc Fabregas was fouled in almost the same spot and before the referee had time to point a free kick, Cesc was up and played a quick free-kick and the second goal came in.

These are the type of fouls that not only used to deflate the team but would get them moaning and playing straight into the hands of the opponents. Arsène Wenger would be complaining to the fourth official. This time before Wenger could make it to the fourth official, he was forced to cut his journey short and start celebrating.

Third important event was Vermaelen's all important first goal. Arsenal are so dependent on their first goal. When it comes with plenty of game left to play, they nearly always win. Right now, Vermaelen is proving a very important first goal getter. It settles the team down. Since Vieira, Arsenal has not had a mean player. Flamini was nearly there but now we have Vermaelen and he makes a huge difference.

Learning is very difficult when you don't get reward for the things you are required to learn to fix. Arsenal getting up from challenges and getting on with it is being rewarded with goals. That's a very powerful positive feedback and that should ensure that the team keeps it up.

To be honest, Blackburn barely had a team but these games are potential banana skins because such teams usually defend better in numbers and can nick goals – they managed two at the emirates. In addition, you need these games for bonding – to execute more easily the things that you do in training on match days that confirm to the players that it is possible on the pitch. Winning is good for winning the next game.

Last season, Arsenal had a dream fixture list for the first 10 games but they lost the championship in those games. Without being able to excel in those "easy" games, the team carried low self-esteem into games with more difficult teams and were easily beaten out of the race. I'd rather we drew against Manchester United and beat Fulham and Aston Villa than the other way round.
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