Arsenal assistant Pat Rice, who, as a result of Arsene Wenger’s two match touchline ban, was the man in charge for the Gunners last evening, has said that he saw many positive signs from the last two matches. Arsenal have yet to lose since the last minute signing of 5 new players at the end of the August window.

Arsene Wenger has already declared that the season essentially started against Swansea for the Gunners, and Pat Rice has echoed those sentiments.

When he was asked if he though the club had turned a corner, Rice responded:

“Very much so. It seemed, especially the game on Saturday, it was our start of the season. Because of the uncertainty as to who the players would be that leave us and whether they wouldn’t.

“The players that we have acquired are very, very good players, contrary to what other people have said. I have no doubt that they will show it and in the games to come.”

I have to admit, this has been a new look Arsenal in the past few matches, even at the start of the season. There seems to be much more commitment to defending, it seems much less of an afterthought.

Just look at the Dortmund match, where I feel that Alex Song was our strongest defensive player, and I can also recall several instances where attacking players like Robin Van Persie and Benayoun provided essential pressure, or a timely clearance.

It was also very obvious to me, just how much better Arsenal are when they have players like Gervinho and Alex Song in the side. This is a rather obvious observation, but the point is that Arsenal need to keep it’s best 11 as fit and as “unsuspended” as possible.

The needless red cards that plagued the first 3 matches of them Premier League season cannot continue. Our squad still does not have the offensive depth to endure needless suspensions.

Thanks to the new signings, at least Arsenal do have some depth to speak of. New boys Per Mertesacker and Mikel Arteta have already had big impacts in their first two games, and Benayoun has shown some much needed hustle and fight in his time on the pitch thus far.

Andre Santos has only had a brief cameo in Tuesday’s match (although with Gibbs’ medical history, one thinks its only a matter of time before Santos will be in the lineup), and Park Chu-Young is the only signing who has yet to make an appearance, although I expect we will see him very soon.

With these new additions comes new expectations, and Mikel Arteta is one who is hopeful for trophies during his stay at Emirates.

“The challenge here is to win trophies and at Everton I didn’t have the chance to do that. Hopefully, we are going to have it here,” said the midfielder.

“The difference between winning trophies and not can sometimes be very small details. The important thing is to get there because, when you do, you have a chance. We have to make sure we are close.”

I know that we have heard this from several current Gunners, and it is the standard party line for any player (nobody wants to hear an Arsenal player say “you know, fourth would be lovely, don’t you think?”). It does sound different to hear the new boys say it, maybe it’s because they haven’t been through the hardships yet. Maybe it’s just because we’ve heard the veterans say several times .

Whatever the reason, I have to admit that when I heard Theo talking about winning trophies, my reaction was something along the lines of “oh sure, Theo. Perhaps you should learn how to dribble first?” My response to Arteta, however, was much more positive.

I can’t exactly explain why. After all, Arteta should be given no more benefit of the doubt than Theo, right? He never propelled Everton to any great heights. But I have to admit, on Saturday I found his presence a very calming one to have on the pitch.

He was comfortable in the Premiership, because he’d been here before, he’d smile and chat up the referee, there was an understanding of how things worked that sometimes seems missing from a very young and foreign Arsenal side.

I don’t know if these signings will turn Arsenal into contenders, but they have given us grit. Our club is prepared to win ugly, and that’s something that many of us will have to get used to. Arsenal held on to win ugly against Swansea, and it took a miracle goal by a very solid, very attacking Dortmund side to spoil Arsenal’s ugly win in Germany.

My money is on another “ugly win” at the weekend against Blackburn. After all, three points is three points, and “winning ugly” can be a beautiful thing.