Arsenal spent close to £200 million strengthening their squad this summer, but there was one glaring omission. The elite forward.

Julian Alvarez was on their radar. So were Morgan Rogers, Bradley Barcola and Vinicius Junior. None arrived at the Emirates.

For a club chasing back-to-back Premier League titles, the failure to land a headline-making attacker could have become a source of frustration.

Three games into the new season, however, Arsenal are offering a rather different response.

The reigning champions made it three wins from three on Sunday, coming from behind to beat big-spending Chelsea 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium in their first major test of the campaign.

And when Arsenal needed their attack to deliver, it was two familiar faces who stepped up.

Kai Havertz equalised before Martin Odegaard scored the winner, with Bukayo Saka also producing another influential display as Arsenal overturned Morgan Rogers' early opener.

Three points, one goal conceded in three league games and maximum points.

More importantly, Arsenal showed they can find different ways to hurt opponents without the superstar forward they spent the summer pursuing.

Chelsea appeared to have the attacking advantage on paper. Their £117 million new signing Rogers needed just 77 seconds to make an immediate impact, while Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer completed a formidable-looking front three.

But Arsenal gradually took control.

Odegaard and Havertz combined for the winner, with Havertz's movement creating the space for his captain to arrive and finish. It was another example of a relationship that could prove just as important to Arsenal's title defence as any new signing would have been.

The pair have both scored three goals in four appearances in all competitions this season, while Saka has also been among the goals.

Together, they have accounted for all six of Arsenal's goals in their opening three Premier League matches.

“It was another layer. Another layer of dynamism, of threat, of intent, of aggression in the attacking phase.”

Mikel Arteta

That is particularly significant given how rarely Mikel Arteta has had his preferred attacking players available together over the past two seasons.

Sunday was the first time since December 2024 that Odegaard, Havertz and Saka had started three consecutive league games together. 

degaard repeatedly found Saka in dangerous positions, while Havertz's movement stretched Chelsea's defence and created room for others to attack.

Odegaard found Saka 10 times against Chelsea and Havertz seven, but their understanding goes beyond simple passing statistics.

“When he makes the run and I come from behind, I'm always free,” Odegaard said of Havertz.

That chemistry helped Arsenal compensate for the absence of the blockbuster forward they had wanted to add.

And Odegaard, in particular, looks like a different player.

The Arsenal captain scored just once in 36 appearances last season, but already has three goals in four games this term.

His winner against Chelsea was another example of a growing willingness to attack the penalty area, while his overall influence suggested a player returning to his best.

“He's fit, and confidence-wise I think it's one of the highest that I've seen him,” Arteta said.

“He also has a point to prove from last season after missing so much football, and Bukayo the same. We missed so many attacking players last season for long, long periods.”

Havertz has been just as important.

His goal against Chelsea was a precise finish, but his contribution went well beyond scoring. He provided an aerial outlet, ran in behind, linked with midfield and constantly disrupted Chelsea's defensive shape.

“It's a really smart player and moves so well,” Odegaard said.

That versatility has made Havertz increasingly difficult to leave out.

That may sound excessive, but Arsenal are beginning to look like a side whose existing attacking options can make the absence of a marquee addition far less significant.

The champions have also added another dimension to their attacking play.

Against Chelsea, Havertz frequently moved towards the right, Saka appeared centrally at times, and Riccardo Calafiori pushed forward to add another attacking outlet.

Chelsea struggled to cope with the movement, particularly in the right half-space where Odegaard and Saka repeatedly combined.

“It was another layer,” Arteta said. “Another layer of dynamism, of threat, of intent, of aggression in the attacking phase.”

That is the intriguing part for Arsenal.

They may not have signed Alvarez, Rogers, Barcola or Vinicius, but they have something that none of those transfers could guarantee: an established attacking unit developing its understanding at exactly the moment the champions need it most.

Arsenal scored a club-record 91 Premier League goals in 2023-24, the last season in which Odegaard, Havertz and Saka were consistently available together.

If they can keep the trio fit again, there is every reason to believe the champions can once more possess enough firepower to compete at the top.

It is still far too early to declare the transfer gamble a success. A long season, injuries and the demands of the Champions League will provide a much tougher examination. But after beating Chelsea, Arsenal have already sent an early warning.