The rain fell hard at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday as did the sky during Arsenal's 2-0 loss to Liverpool, leaving Arsene Wenger with no shortage of items to address on his "to-do" list.
The Gunners have looked like anything but a top-four side in the Barclays Premier League thus far, much less one ready and able to challenge for a 14th title.
With Cesc Fabregas gone to Barcelona and an ever-growing chorus insisting that Wenger spend now, the pressure is mounting on the long-time Arsenal boss to act quickly and decisively before the summer transfer window closes and, presumably, the season becomes a lost cause for the Gunners.
However dire the situation may seem in North London, though, there remains plenty of time for Arsenal to turn things around before the current situation spirals hopelessly out of control.
Be Patient
Most importantly, everyone must remain calm and keep the big picture well within focus.
Yes, the Gunners have thus far looked like anything but a club that came so agonizingly close to winning the Premier League last season, but to suggest that doom and gloom are the only options from here on out after just two league matches is patently ridiculous.
Arsenal were without nearly half of their first-team squad against the Reds due to injuries and suspensions.
Their reinforcements were thinned even further when Laurent Koscielny exited with back spasms just 14 minutes in, leaving Wenger with no choice but to burn the Premiership virginity of a third new boy, Ignasi Miquel.
While it's difficult to say that the Gunners would've won out of hand had some or all of their absent players been available, it's reasonable to suggest that having the likes of Jack Wilshere, Gervinho, Alex Song, Tomas Rosicky, Johan Djourou, and Abou Diaby on the pitch would have been a tremendous lift to the cause.
Liverpool, talented a squad as they have and likely as they are to challenge for the top of the table, didn't exactly dominate the match.
In fact, the Reds struggled to get much of anything going toward the goal until Frimpong was sent off and Kenny Dalglish unleashed Luis Suarez on a tired, 10-man side.
Clearly, the Arsenal side that supporters have seen thus far is only a shell of what it will be when the missing first-teamers return within the next two weeks.
Thus, before Gooners store up supplies for the apocalypse and initiate too many anti-Arsene websites, let's give the roster a chance to get fit before rushing to judgment as to whether Arsenal will sink or swim just two weeks into the season.
Add Creativity in the Midfield
That being said, Wenger still has plenty of work to do on the transfer market before the window closes at August's end.
Luckily for Arsene, Samir Nasri's move to Manchester City no longer appears to be as imminent as it was just days ago. That should give Wenger some respite in getting Arsenal's punchless attack, which has been held scoreless through two matches thus far, back on track.
In the meantime, though, Wenger would be wise to continue his search for a midfield maestro to fill the considerable void left behind by Cesc. Few sides, if any, can simply lose a player of Fabregas's caliber at such a crucial position without experiencing some sort of drop-off in flow and quality if no replacement is soon found.
Arsene has had his eye on Valencia's Juan Mata for some time, though Premier League rival Chelsea has taken a commanding lead in the chase for his services.
Of course, in the world of football transfers, nothing is truly official until the player in question has switched into a new shirt, leaving Arsene with precious little time to re-enter the bidding.
Wenger has also been in touch with Rennes about acquiring French midfielder Yann M'Vila, though the Red and Blacks have reportedly rebuffed his initial bid of £17.5 million.
As negotiations go, then, expect Arsene to return to the table with a slightly better offer.
As impotent as Arsene has seemed thus far in his pursuit of new boys, he still has as strong a track record as any manager of spending wisely on top-flight talent.
Wenger will find someone worthwhile on whom to spend the £35 million he squeezed out of Barca for Cesc. He may not do so with quite as much haste as most fans would hope, but rest assured, Wenger will come up aces when all is said and done.
Have I Mentioned the Importance of Patience Yet?
Just as Gooners must exercise patience in waiting for players to return to fitness and allowing Arsene to scour the market for the proper talent, so too is it important that patience take center stage in allowing Arsenal's starlets to mature as part of the plan for the season.
The Gunners have a tremendous stockpile of youngsters who have already shown more than just glimpses of what is soon to come.
Emmanuel Frimpong looked impressive in his Premier League debut before being sent off with his second yellow card as did Carl Jenkinson and Miquel.
The 22-year-old Theo Walcott has been one of few aggressors towards the goal for the Gunners thus far, and fellow former Southampton product Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is soon to follow in his footsteps.
As for Aaron Ramsey, the 20-year-old was merely the victim of circumstance amidst the own goal that put Liverpool ahead 1-0.
Certainly, Arsene cannot count solely on kids to carry the day. Tremendous as was the potential they showed against the Reds, Arsenal's starlets demonstrated just as clearly their lack of experience as a whole.
Though, for teenagers playing amidst a downpour against a side as stacked as Liverpool, the kids did alright.
And they will undoubtedly improve as the season progresses; there's no need to call for a complete overhaul when the calendar hasn't yet touched September.
Sure, the close of the summer transfer window adds some urgency to the matter, but the Gunners, when healthy and not carded, still have plenty of talent to challenge for supremacy in the Premier League.
Thus, for the Gunners, patience is not a virtue, but rather a necessity.
When all is said and done, Wenger will make a move, the first-team squad will soon be fit, the youngsters will grow into quality contributors, and everyone will live happily ever after in North London.
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