Morning guys.
Fifteen days until the season restarts but it still feels like it’s summer and the 2019/2020 season is a thing of the past. On a scale of one to ten, my interest in the remaining fixtures sits around three. Hopefully that’ll change when Arsenal head off to The Etihad in two weeks time. When Aubameyang is putting a few shots past Ederson. Or maybe it’ll be Pepe who kicks the restart off in fine for,.
Aubameyang, the player whose name will fill the back pages this summer as every top club around Europe will be linked with him. It’s Arsenal’s last opportunity to sell him for a big fee. As big as it can be anyway which is going to be less than Arsenal will have hoped thanks to the financial uncertainties surrounding the game right now. Although as said before, every players valuation will take a hit this summer so what Arsenal sell Aubameyang for is irrelevant really. That is if he’s sold as there’s still a chance he’s willing to commit to Arsenal. To be part of what Mikel Arteta wants to do and where he wants to take the club we all love. If Aubameyang listens to his coach, he’ll believe in his project. I certainly do and I know some of my Arsenal supporting friends do too. Some who don’t support Arsenal think he’s a good appointment too.
Pepe excites me. Yes he’s looked like a rabbit in headlights, or a fish out of water at times but there’s something about him which makes me believe he’s going to be good. Very good. He’s young, he’s been kicked to pieces, he’ll come back stronger. Reyes threw the towel in after the Neville sisters bullied him time and time again, but I don’t think our guy from the Ivory Coast will. Now he knows what to expect, I think he’ll find a way around it. Like Pires did, like Henry did, like others quality players do. Like Sterling. Yep, it was Mikel Arteta who helped him.
Comparisons will always be made between players. The media do it, we fans do too and although I can understand why, players are individuals. Unique in their own right. There’ll only ever be one Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Vieira etc etc. Yet as I write that, I can see a bit of Henry in Pepe, Aubameyang too but just because Ozil and Bergkamp are/were number 10’s, the comparison ends there. Diaby was deemed the ‘Vieira’ – no, he was Diaby but because both were French, tall, central midfielders with long legs, they were constantly compared. Sadly, we’ll never know just how good the younger of the two might have been.
So, comparisons. Thierry Henry v Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Other than them both being strikers, play for Arsenal, wear the number 14 shirt and pretty rubbish with their head, is there a comparison to be made?
I don’t think there is. One made history with Arsenal. He was in his prime and I think it’s fair to say he had his best years playing in north London. He got the club and the club got him. Of course it helped because Arsene Wenger was at the club and he too was in his prime but Henry was always going to be a great player at the right club. Arsenal was his. With Aubameyang I just see a player who was, is, passing through until a bigger pay packet is on the table. He might prove me wrong of course.
But, whilst Mikel Arteta and Arsene Wenger are two different men, I see similarities between them. Both arrived at Arsenal with very little experience at the top. Wenger had been in Japan, Arteta a coach at City. Yet both had, or rather have in Arteta’s case, a vision. Their ideas on how the game should be played.
Arsene Wenger had the right players to bring the club success. Mikel Arteta, with the support and backing from the club, needs to find his.
Waffle over. Stay safe guys.
Good morning Rico.
Comparisons between footballers are always difficult to make, different tactics, different coaches, different referees, but the comparison between Aubameyang and Henry has one outstanding element, Henry never missed as many scoring chances as Auba.
Morning all.
It’s very difficult to compare players of different eras.
The only real comparison we can make is whether they give their all to the club, and not many do that today but then, that’s the way if the world now.
Stay safe everyone.
It’s not great out there and maybe, Just maybe, sports coming back might take the edge of people’s frustrations.
Morning Cicero, Scott, all.
Cicero, oddly, their strike rate is very similar. But I certainly don’t have that same fondness for Aubameyang as I had for Henry. I think Henry fell in lov3 with the club and its fans but I don’t Aubameyang really has.
Wishful thinking imo Scott, that’s if you’re talking about the protests going on. They might fizzle out a bit but only until the next time.
Morning Rico and all. I guess different eras bring different players and attitudes. The whole club has become diluted over the last decade. Top to bottom. Money leads the players like donkeys following a carrot.
Morning Adam. Sadly yes. I wonder how much Henry etc were paid back in their day…
I don’t think players see football clubs as anything other than a cash cow these days, certainly the top clubs. Look at Saka now, you’d have thought he’d bite the hand off of anyone offering him a contract extension…
Luiz staying at Arsenal for 2 years according to a NN headline. Lol
Hi Rico, thanks for the post 👍
15 days, hey?! Oooh the excitement is building…..
There’ll only ever be one TH!!
I do love Auba though and desperately want him to stay and catch Henry’s 228 goals (🤣 yeah right!!) As Cicero said he misses too many chances. Even still, I seriously doubt Henry’s record will ever be caught!
Rico, your 11.51 “They might fizzle out, but only until the next time” there shouldn’t be a next time, but we know damn well there will be. To ‘protect and to serve’ isn’t that their motto? What a joke. Anyway sorry, that’s not for HH.
As for Luiz – I saw an article saying Benfica can’t afford his wages! Wait… we can’t even afford his wages 🤣🤣
A very interesting Post, Rico, and good afternoon to you.
Cicero’s intimation that Auba misses more chances than Thierry seemed right to me, but you have data that shows them even Steven. If it was a bet, I would have lost.
Auba is a fine goal scorer, as is TH, but he is nowhere near as skilful, fast or just down right brilliant like Monsieur Henry was – in my opinion anyway. 😜
Hi Sue.
I can’t say I’m fussed either way re Aubameyang. Great if he stays but if he and his agent are squabbling over money then he can go imo. Arsenal need players who really want to be at the club and want it to succeed. Same with Saka and anyone else who thinks they deserve more than what’s on offer…
Hi RA, must admit I only used one website to have a look and that was the PL. I too would have lost the bet because I thought Henry was far more clinical in front of goal. Perhaps I should check again. Lol
kick off in Portugal tomorrow.
Benfica can’t afford Luiz wages. He is too old. two years more with us with the same wages?
Where we want to go with this politic?
Fair do’s, Rico 👍
On Thursday night it’s ‘Arsenal Together’ hosted by Matt Lucas.. streaming on Arsenal player, YouTube & FB. To raise money for the foundation. With players – Wrighty, Seaman, Auba, MA etc.. as well as celebs – Dermot O’Leary, Tinie Tempah 🙂 Lethal Bizzle etc… sounds pretty good to me!
Hello RA.. 🙂
Hi Rico and All For there is no comparison Henry leaves Auba standing as for Pepe I understand it takes some player time to adjust but I wonder if the amount of money we paid for him is playing on Pepe mind and is there for putting to much pressure on him self.
Jm, until we know the deal with us, or even if there is deal agreed, I don’t see a point in worrying. But, for what it’s worth, I think he’d be a good person to have around the club and it seems Arteta rates him as a potential coach so he clearly has leadership qualities.
Sue, selling him could mean three new players for Arsenal. 😂
Hi Geoff. I’m inclined to say no to the price tag because he must have known a big money move was on the cards.. I think Ozils mega salary might be having an effect, or is it affect, on him. 😂
3 over the hill, one last season left in them, injury prone players… I can’t wait, Rico 🤣🤣
Just kidding…well, unless Raul and co have other ideas…..
I was thinking 3 Martinelli’s Sue. 😆
Phew Rico 😅😅
New post up now