It has been a whirlwind few days for Arsenal as they returned to domestic action following the international break. The appointment of Andrea Berta and then the clash with Fulham bringing with it the return of Bukayo Saka was certainly big.
However, within them came insights and moments which could have far longer-lasting impacts on the team and the long-term strategy of the club. Saka may have appeared to be a shoo-in for the headlines on Tuesday but was usurped by yet another damaging injury.
football.londonwas of course in attendance for the match and the pre-match press conference in which Andrea Berta came along to introduce himself to us and other members of the media. Let’s go behind the scenes, inside the Emirates and detail what we’ve learned and witnessed.
Starting on Monday afternoon, it was a relatively quiet start to the week and there was no knowledge that Berta would be in attendance. Edu Gaspar, his predecessor, had always been very approachable and personable during his time.
I had heard whispers that Berta was a much more private figure and of course that still may turn out to be true. Whether he appears in the mixed zone and chats to reporters like Edu would often do remains to be seen.
Those who were tuning into the Arsenal live stream of the press conference witnessed the exchange when Berta entered the room and was introduced to us. Shaking hands and even being complimented on his attire, he was set the scene at the club and told of the exciting time to help take the club to that next level which we all hope is titles.
Mikel Arteta came in before Berta left the room and stood smiling at the back before, of course, taking on the press conference in which he was very excited by Berta's appointment. There was plenty said about the summer, and if anything, it raised expectations of what is to come.
It was an odd feeling on matchday. I shared some conversations with supporters who gave the prediction that a subdued atmosphere would follow perhaps only broken by the presence and announcements surrounding Bukayo Saka, which we all know now were accurate.
However, before Saka could enter the fray, the headlines were turned on their head and Gabriel Magalhaes' injury - which we will likely remain in the dark about until Friday's pre-Everton press conference - was the main topic of chats at full-time.
Mikel Arteta gave very little away in the post match press conference. However, one thing perhaps missed by the cameras was the Mirror's John Cross approached Mikel Arteta for comment and clarification on the issue Ben White had suffered to cause him to miss the game and the boss noted it was again his knee – the same problem of course he recently underwent surgery to correct, which is a concern.
For Berta, who was in attendance and watching on, the injuries suffered and the impact of a player like Saka should surely be enough of a jolt to see what is needed in the summer. Quality and competition.
Mikel Arteta needs to be backed in the market and he needs a squad which can compete across multiple competitions and deal with major injuries should they arrive even more effectively than the arguable miracles of still being second and clear in the position despite what has happened. A very big few months is up ahead with a massive Champions League clash before all the market madness kicks off.