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And … breathe. When Bukayo Saka shot low and powerfully through the Olympiakos goalkeeper to seal a somewhat nervy 2-0 win, the noise from the Emirates faithful was more a weary, sofa-flopping sigh than a celebratory cheer, giving the feeling, at last, of a midweek putting-to-bed.

This was a game the Gunners seemed destined to win, even though seeming to realise this somewhat prematurely in the piece against eager and purposeful opponents. No team draws the stern and unforgiving eye as much as Arteta’s squad, for which a deep roster, the unforgivable act of acquiring a potentially title‑winning team, is the latest crime in the record books.

But sometimes it’s essential to get the job done. Even at kick-off the Emirates seemed like a routine venue, a continuation of the rush hour high street just beyond the hard white lights, London urgency, nine to five football, a required duty as we head now toward that part of the year where the lights come on at four and the season begins to intensify.

Victory aside, a couple of notable developments happened here for the North London side. Martin Ødegaard played 90 minutes. Meanwhile the Swedish striker went the distance as well. They achieved this in differing ways. Ødegaard was brilliant, even during spells when the team struggled, and this matters: 84 touches, four shots, an assist, a reel of delightful passes, subtle touches, prompts. He really is a lovely player to watch when he performs like this, part feather-footed artist, half relentless pressing force, darting around similar to a bead in a pan of hot oil.

The forward was his usual self: powerfully direct, haring about the place from first to last as if pursued by a herding animal. But Gyökeres was also interesting because he speaks progress, different patterns, and to wanting more. There are lessons to absorb now, albeit this game wasn’t really one of them.

The skipper excelled during the team’s off moments.

This was the second team owned by Evangelos Marinakis Arsenal had come up against in the past few weeks and the owner was in attendance in an expensive casual top and a sleek designer jacket, the look of a man who constantly is either on his way to a speed boat, has just got off a speed boat, or aboard a speed boat, ideally accompanied by a entourage over a melodic rock score.

There were some fun crowd moments in the opening stages. José Luis Mendilibar, the passionate Greek side’s coach, got into a dispute with the fourth official, a imposing figure, reminiscent of a doorman at the door of a club only for bouncers. Down the left flank the Arsenal defender, 6ft 1in, guarding Daniel Podence, small and agile, had vague take‑your-dad-to-school vibes. And for a while this seemed to turn into a stroll, with an early strike made by the duo. It was a beautiful thing, a feather-light brush stroke then a fist straight through the canvas.

Initially the captain made a clever move, gliding into a pocket of space in the attacking third, dodging a defender then playing a perfect pass through opposition lines to meet the sprint of the striker. At that moment, the powerhouse took over, Gyökeres basically ran through two defenders, before blasting a shot at the keeper. As the ball trickled towards goal Gabriel Martinelli tried to let it run in, then smacked in the rebound off the post.

This showcased Gyökeres at his finest, who sometimes appears far from a technically gifted player among these teammates, but doesn’t seem to mind, or feel cowed. Olympiacos gave him some rough stuff after the goal. He was jounced and bumped and barged. He rose, came back for more.

Gyökeres is just a different beast, within this squad, with that distinctive way of carrying the ball, less about close control as kicking it forward and then running after it, like a Great Dane chasing a beach ball. He’s a bludgeon. But this is OK. Arsenal didn’t actually have a bludgeon in the past.

He must improve, more rapid in shooting, sharper in tight spaces. However, this is noteworthy, because the striker remains the sole element of this re-geared team still waiting to click.

This is not quite a moment to pause: that will only come following the weekend fixture, but Arsenal can now at the very least prepare accordingly and recharge briefly.

It seemed apparent the autumn fixtures would break down into two separate phases. The initial segment is now completed. Eight games in six weeks, including key rivals, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, Manchester City and Newcastle, and concluded here with a challenging evening versus the domestic title holders.

Following that stretch the statistics show: won seven, one defeat, drawn one with five clean sheets. There are intangibles too. Goals spread all over the team, and still only one conceded from open play. They have cover for Saka, cover at the back, alternatives in midfield. Most importantly Mikel Arteta has shown dynamism, adapted in real-time, displayed remarkable versatility and decisive in his tactics in the last three games, in a time of overly rigid tactical trends across the league.

This isn’t the start of a new era. This is not even the end of the beginning. However, the upcoming fixtures represent, in outline, a decent run by comparison, with multiple domestic matches that look winnable and the Champions League currently on track. Assuming normal conditions, and with the captain in fine form, there is a feeling of credit being squirrelled away. And almost, but not quite, time to take a breath.