LONDON -- A new Premier League season brings with itself a sense of renewal and hope.Brentford was the epicenter of optimism and anticipation. This is a west London suburb that has been without top-flight football for 74+ years, and desperately wanted to fill its new stadium. The excitement was amplified by the fact that the crowds were allowed to return to the stadium without any restrictions. This meant that 16,479 fans packed into the small, but comfortable arena, which is surrounded by three railway tracks.Thomas Frank's team was able to rise to the occasion. Sergi Canos scored a 22-minute goal past Bernd Leno, settling any remaining nerves. The hosts then doubled their lead 17 minutes later with a goal from throw-in. This was a perfect example of how they out-fought opponents who should have known better.Stream ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ (U.S. Only)- Do you not have ESPN? Get instant accessFrank said that "We're just an bus stop in Hounslow but we're the top of the League," summing up the David-and-Goliath feeling.The worst part is that this was not a major upset. Brentford sources were quiet confident that they could defy their underdog status this week and cause a stir, mindful of the soft underbelly Arsenal has long carried.It says a lot about the Gunners to be proven so right. Although it is too early to declare a club at crisis in the opening game of a campaign, this result does not reflect 90 minutes. It only reflects an incomplete summer.It is unfortunate that Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang both missed the game due to illness. Key midfielder Thomas Partey was also absent due to an ankle injury. There are still questions about the process that allowed Folarin Balogun to take the lead in his debut under such circumstances.Balogun is capable of being anything, but he's not ready to be. Arsenal were not prepared for this game, even though it was so important given the fragile mood at the club. Mikel Arteta has been trying to implement a culture shift and a fixture schedule that pits them against Premier League winners Manchester City and Champions League winners Chelsea before the end.This was despite the fact that they had their 50 million centre-back Ben White and their 17m midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga.White and Pablo Mari, their defensive partner, struggled throughout the night. Nuno Tavares was their third summer signing. He made an ineffectual late substitute appearance, as Arsenal failed to display any sustained attacking cohesion to force them back into the game. The desperation displayed by Arsenal was evident in their 22 shots, but only four of them were on target.In their 2-0 loss to Brentford, Arsenal was vulnerable defensively and never threatened going forward. Shaun Botterill/Getty ImagesBukayo Saka was applauded by all four corners of ground as a gesture of support for missing the crucial penalty in England's Euro 2020 final loss to Italy. This trio is Arsenal's best hope for progress.Willian, who was earning 100,000 per week, was not there. Lucas Torriera, a wantaway midfielder, used the half-time break on his social media accounts to post a photo of himself and his family at a Madrid theme park. Although it is too early for Arsenal to ride the rollercoaster this year, they are here.Calum Chambers was an unusual choice for right-back, with Hector Bellerin still at club and on the bench beside Cedric Soares. However, Canos beat him too easily, as was Leno at his near goal. After the Gunners sold Emiliano Martnez to Aston Villa, Leno is the club's only senior goalkeeper. Mat Ryan returned to Brighton & Hove Albion to end his loan period.STREAM ESPN FC Daily on ESPN+ Dan Thomas is joined with Craig Burley, Shaka Herlop and other experts to bring you the most recent highlights and discuss the major storylines. Stream on ESPN+ (U.S only).Leno should have more competition for this evidence, especially since he was forced to concede the simplest goal that ended the contest. Ivan Toney pressured Leno and Chambers to get the ball on the goal line. A long throw from substitute Mads Solensen reached the near side where Christian Norgaard scored his first goal in English football.Arteta was frustrated throughout, but they insisted that they wouldn't panic in the market, despite the club being keen to find a creative midfielder and backup goalkeeper, as well as a striker in the final three weeks of the summer transfer window.He stated, "My focus is on the players that I have, try and make them play as best as possible, get out the best of the team, and find the way forward to win football matches." "We know exactly what we want to do, our strengths and where we can improve. I don't believe today's performance is any different than what we think.It is the problem that you cannot show anything else. The clock is already ticking.
