When it was announced Amazon would be filming an All or Nothing documentary on Arsenal this season, there was a collective rubbing of the hands on social media.
The soap opera which has engulfed the north London club in recent years has been all-consuming, the only surprise that it wasn't eligible to win a BAFTA award at any time over the last decade.
So when Mikel Arteta revealed in his pre-match interview that club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had been omitted from the squad for 'disciplinary reasons', it presented another chance to point and laugh at a perceived Arsenal circus.
However, in a blistering attacking display from the Gunners in a 3-0 win over Southampton, they showed that the external noise doesn't quite resonate as loudly inside the dressing room as it does in the social media echo chamber.
More crucially, however, Arsenal showed that they have outgrown the need for Aubameyang's qualities.
The performance from Arsenal was worlds apart from their dismal showing against Everton on Monday evening. Powered by goals from Alexandre Lacazette, Martin Odegaard and a Gabriel header, Arteta's side produced one of their most dominant attacking displays of the season.
Many will argue otherwise, but Arsenal have been more good than they have been bad this season. Taking 19 points from the 24 available at home is an impressive total - no team has taken more points per game at home this season than the Gunners - while victory against the Saints lifted them back up to just one point outside the Champions League places.
However, the attacking displays from Arteta's side haven't fully convinced supporters - reflected in their lowly xG total this term - and the idea pre-match, when it was revealed that Aubameyang would not feature, was that undermining an already blunt attack was going to leave Arsenal short.
Arteta's disciplinarian side has often been to his detriment in public. Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Nicolas Pepe have completely plummeted from the Spaniard's plans - their values diminishing at a time the Gunners could do with funds from player sales - and it's been correct to ponder whether the Arsenal boss is too hung up on the culture inside the club than servicing his best players.
Indeed, it's not the first time Aubameyang has felt the wrath of his manager. The captain was dropped for Arsenal's North London Derby triumph earlier this year for arriving late.
The danger in both scenarios for Arteta is that it could have impacted the performance on the pitch and, by extension, brought his position under scrutiny. On both ocassions, however, Arteta has been vindicated.
The inclusion of Lacazette from the off allowed Arsenal to play through his one-touch, technical qualities. Like at Goodison Park on Monday night, it also allowed Arteta to fit Odegaard, Saka and Martinelli into same attacking unit.
Defeat for Arsenal would have brought calls of a crisis, of bitter infighting between coach and player. Instead, the discussion will centre around the quality of Arsenal's performance in the absence of their captain.
As it was against Tottenham in March, Arteta's decison has been vindicated.
Source : 90min