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After years of stomach-gurgling, nail-chewing anxiety, this was an entirely different Arsenal experience. After the torrents of hoping, fearing, and stumbling, they were completely free of stress and desperation. It is too early to say whether it will catch on, but in the meantime, the general reduction in blood pressure seemed to go down well at the Emirates.

The champions strutted to a convincing 3-0 victory. The manager didn’t need to hop around as intensely as his reputation demands. The fans were so liberated from “second again” mockery that they didn’t even bother to sing it ironically.

They could afford to laugh with Martin Odegaard as he kicked a shot against his other foot, enabling the ball to spoon in like a parody of the perfect technique he obsesses over. They were easy-going enough to shrug as Noni Madueke overhit a cross. They applauded generously, whether welcoming back World Cup winners Martin Zubimendi and Mikel Merino, or saluting the efforts of their new winger, Christos Tzolis, as he jogged off and looked as if he had the dynamic energy to go and run a marathon for fun.

By then Arsenal were cruising, thanks to an hour of crisp passing and progressive possession punctuated by goals from Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Odegaard. “Flow” was the word Mikel Arteta chose to describe it. This team in flow is trying to push themselves to be even better than before. Considering all the goalscorers had erratic seasons last time out where they did not feel at their best (or were blighted by injuries), they look as if they intend to show more, give more, this time around.

This was Arsenal with the air of poised authority that comes with being champions. In their first game back, against newly promoted opposition, they wore their crown well.

Yes, it was only Coventry City, at home, which is the sort of fixture they ought to be flexing some muscle. And yes, it was a helpful opener when players are still fine-tuning and sharpening up after the World Cup and belated holidays. But it was also an opportunity for Arsenal to show how winning the league last May has boosted their sense of self.

You might think that being serene, more comfortable in their skin with that gold patch on their sleeve, would be a considerable satisfaction to Mikel Arteta. Yet he baulked at the idea that his team looked relaxed. That was not a word he welcomed. “I don’t like it a lot,” he said. “Relaxed? No, I think they need to be with the right level of clarity. They know what they have to do. They look really connected, and they play with a lot of purpose, which I really like.”

It doesn’t sound like he has any intention of taking his eye off the ball for a nano-second. It wouldn’t be a shock if his favourite moment of the game was not one of the free-flowing moves, but the sight of half his team in a sprint race to track back and halt a rare Coventry break.

It was notable that, as a club, Arsenal avoided too much focus on their new status as defending champions. The Premier League trophy was kept out of the way, not shown off, apart from the blazing cover picture in the souvenir programme which ensured queues snaking through the crowd to purchase this special memento.

Of course the fans sang about it — as did the visitors from Coventry, who won the Championship last season. But the team were geared up for business. Declan Rice and Saka played just over an hour each, Riccardo Calafiori roamed to his heart’s content, Tzolis was eager to make an impact. The other new outfield signings have to wait a little longer before getting into the Premier League swing. Bruno Guimaraes is carrying a minor knock, and new defender Ezri Konsa was introduced before kick-off. Both of them probably can’t wait.

Up in the directors’ box, sporting director Andrea Berta wore an inscrutable expression as the game flowed. Is his business mostly done as far as incomings are concerned? While the window remains open, his phone will be on alert, but it would not be a total surprise if Arsenal stick with what they have. The stellar attacker scenario has not been straightforward this summer. “I’m really happy with the squad that we have, and the main focus is to improve the players that we already have,” Arteta outlined afterwards, which was a much less pointed view of intentions to attack the market than previously in pre-season.

Havertz played the full match, which was no doubt frustrating for Viktor Gyokeres. Meanwhile, Gabriel Martinelli was omitted from the matchday squad, which must have been tough for the Brazilian.

The quest to improve on champions is a delicate one. Arsenal want to do that in a range of ways — in personnel, stylistic development, and by coaxing more from their current group. Notably, this was only the second time in 20 months that Arteta could start Havertz, Saka and Odegaard together in a Premier League game.

It is 20 years since Arsenal first began playing at this arena. That iteration, like the current team, had just lost a Champions League final. But in the summer of 2006 Arsenal weakened themselves — Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires, Sol Campbell, Ashley Cole and Jose Antonio Reyes all departed. It was also a team that finished the previous campaign in fourth place.

This Arsenal, champions of England, trying to do it all again, are stronger. And they are striving to grow and to flow.