The beginning of the season always brings an air of expectation and hope.

New signings, manager, strip and for some fans, the new feeling of being season ticket holders.

So, with this sense of newness, what could go wrong for the mighty Hornets?

Despite the sense of incredulity I feel as Watford continue to spend millions on players whilst rejecting silly offers for our own players, I couldn’t help but see a similarity between how we played on Saturday, and the latter half of last season.

Yes, we have a new system of play, but we didn’t seem to have a new sense of urgency or desire.

Deeney, ever dependable and reliable seems to be struggling currently; hopefully the international break will give him the time needed to show us all just what a good player he is, and who knows? Maybe in the next international break we will have a new England player?

Going behind to a ninth-minute penalty would always leave us on the back foot. The replays clearly showed the ref had made the right decision, and Amrabat’s foul allowed Arsenal to take the lead.

Hope then that Watford, having to come from behind for the first time this season, would show just how well they have adopted a new formation.

Sadly, this was not to be. Two new defenders, playing together for the first time due to forced changes, were unable to boss the defence.

Capoue was again useful in midfield, and with the introduction of Pereyra at the beginning of the second half, there was a real sense that something could be created by the midfielders. And indeed this happened, albeit too late for a win.

Yet having said that, there was a buzz around the ground as Success was also introduced.

I really do think we have some exciting, attacking players now, who have the ability to give us the spark we have been missing for so long.

The hype surrounding the signings of Perayra and Success now seems to be justified.

Admittedly, neither played the whole game, but the link up play offers much for the rest of the season.

Amrabat is showing just what a good player he is with his penetrating runs and passes, and I think we have the basis now of a team who can really take on teams, not be scared to attack.

Defensively, we have to allow time for Kaboul and Kabasele to adapt to new players.

I left on Saturday disheartened by the early lead we gifted Arsenal, but heartened that the new players and formation can allow us to reach new heights. The second half clearly demonstrated this!