Arsenal dragged Blackpool crashing back down to earth and truly welcomed them to the Premier League with a 6-0 demolition at the Emirates Stadium.
A Theo Walcott hat-trick and man-of-the-match performance was inspiring but the new boys were unfortunate as Ian Evatt's sending off and the resulting penalty - which was wrongly awarded - proved a deciding moment.
Blackpool lived up to their word that they will attack any team this season, enjoying possession in Arsenal's half early on.
Marlon Harewood, on the back of two goals in the opening day victory at Wigan last week, looked lively again and fed David Vaughan who tested Manuel Almunia with a right-footed strike after 10 minutes.
But Arsenal raised the bar with a lethal break a minute later. New signing Marouane Chamakh combined with Tomas Rosicky then fed Walcott on the right who coolly slotted home.
Gary Taylor-Fletcher then wasted a glorious chance to equalise, rising above every red shirt at the far post to head wide.
The Premier League new boys were given another slap in the face when defender Evatt conceded a penalty and was harshly sent off for a foul that appeared outside the area.
Rules are rules, however, and Evatt was given a straight red as the last defender, with Andrei Arshavin converting the spot-kick to double the home side's lead.
Walcott then notched his second, and Arsenal's 700th Premier League goal, by brilliantly turning substitute Dekel Keinan and smashing the ball underneath Matthew Gilks.
The Gunners didn't wait around to continue their rout as Abou DIaby added the fourth immediately after the break. Bacary Sagna broke down the right and crossed low for his fellow Frenchman to fire home.
Walcott's hat-trick was confirmed in the 58th minute as he smartly moved inside the area and fired home into the bottom-left corner.
Cesc Fabregas made his first appearance in an Arsenal shirt this season after a summer-long saga linking him with a move to Barcelona. He replaced Diaby on 62 minutes.
Chamakh added the sixth heading home a corner with six minutes remaining.