Manager Arsene Wenger says Arsenal's positive pre-season form has injected confidence into his team.
The Gunners won all their friendly matches in July as they lifted the Barclays Asia Trophy and the Emirates Cup after playing some scintillating football.
And Wenger says his players are now ready to challenge Chelsea for the English Premier League crown.
"We had a good preparation and a good preparation brings confidence," Wenger told the club's official website.
"Of course confidence is important but competition demands performance. It's a good basis to have a good confidence level in the preparation.
"If you have the choice, when you prepare a team you want a good pre-season. It doesn't give you a guarantee that you start strong in the competition but it's still better for the confidence and the belief of the group.
"Then, when it comes down to points, you add that little bit of extra commitment that is demanded in games.
"We want to improve, we know we will be better and we work very hard to better.
"It's difficult to know how much better our opponents will be. Everybody tries to be better. Let's not forget that Chelsea won the Premier League with a comfortable distance last year, so we have to make our way up.
"There was still a gap between them and the others but the desire is to improve and to move up there to fight for the championship. We know that many teams will be in that position.
"Let's start well and try to give our best."
