Morning all.
I think it’s fair to say that since Arsenal announced Bukayo Saka had signed a long term contract extension, the focus has turned to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. His two goals against Norwich highlighted his importance to the club. Apparently. I’ve always said that I’m not fussed if he stays or goes and that hasn’t changed. Perhaps I’d feel differently if his quick fire 51 Premier League goals included scoring against the top clubs in England but that’s not been the case. Not really. Perhaps I’m being harsh. Probably, because does it really matter which club a player scores against, as long as he’s scoring them on a regular basis? Plus, he’s scoring his goals whilst playing out wide. A good job he is too because the goals haven’t been coming at great speed from anyone else.
Auba has scored against Stoke, Huddersfield, Cardiff, Toots, Burnley, Everton, Watford. Norwich, Brighton and Newcastle. He has managed the odd goal or two against Man Utd and Chelsea I think but when it comes to the top two, he’s seldom in the game. There is an argument that Arsenal are barely in those games, period, but I still remember the chances he missed against City and then Chelsea during Unai Emery’s first season. Perhaps it’s time for me to forget them. After all, his 51 goals came quicker than Thierry Henry’s. But, and here’s the big but for me, age.
Aubameyang is 31 years old. Henry was 24 years old when he hit 50 league goals so the best of him was yet to come. My fear with Aubameyang is that the best has already come. But, how on earth would Arsenal replace his 20+ goals a season? Mikel Arteta clearly wants him to stay, or at least that’s the impression he gives out.
The above is a bit of friendly banter between Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on Twitter. Another ‘sign da ting’ moment. We’ve had a few over the years. The bromance between Lacazette and Aubameyang seems to have cooled as they’re not involved in each other’s goals as much but instead, Auba is sharing moments with others more now. AMN being one, Xhaka at the weekend is another. He’s spreading his love. In a socially distancing kind of way of course.
Joking aside, when Arsenal played Brighton, Aubameyang looked like a player who just wanted the season to end, to pack his bags and head off somewhere new. Yet against Norwich, he was all over the place, literally. Not just him either. Has the penny finally dropped for the Arsenal players after Matteo Guendouzi and Mesut Ozil have been ruthlessly, and rightly in my opinion, dropped from the squad?
Whilst the focus will remain on the future of Aubameyang, purely because of his contract situation, another concern for me is Alexandre Lacazette. He’s scored just 34 league goals since his arrival at Arsenal three years ago which for an out and out number 9, isn’t particularly good. He’s two years left on his contract which means for this summer only, the club could get a decent amount of money for him. Selling him would also remove £182k a week from the clubs hideous wage bill. It’s not like his rough average of 10 goals a season would be missed, would it? I’m quietly confident Eddie Nketiah would surpass 10 each season with ease. Gabriel too and Pepe if they played centrally.
But finishing with Aubameyang because that’s where I started, I don’t think is a good time for him to move. Football’s financial situation is up in the air, he’s already on a very good salary which other clubs might not be prepared to match let alone better at the moment. He could leave for free next summer but he’ll be a year older so the big doors might start closing for him so logic says stay put and enjoy being the main man.
So yes, just ‘sign da ting’ – but don’t demand a huge pay rise. There’s no doubt his goals could be crucial in our push for top four next season. For what’s its worth, I think he will as Mikel Arteta is saying similar things about Auba as he did Saka and we know that outcome.
See you in the comments guys.
Good morning Rico I’m with you on Aubameyang, yes his goals have been vital in keeping us, almost, in touch with the top clubs but if he had converted a greater proportion of the scoring chances he has had we might well have been heading for Champions League football next season.
I think of the two, Aubameyang and Lacazette, the latter is most likely to be the one sold as I expect Aubameyang to discover the grass is non-existent elsewhere rather than greener.
Morning Cicero, all.
What can I say Cicero, we agree. Lol
I just hope the club don’t offer him some stupid lengthy contract and hideous wages because it’ll be Ozil all over again. One, maybe two years and if he still wants out next summer then sell him. That’s in a perfect world.
Hi Rico and All Rico I don’t think you are being harsh on Aubameyang if any thing you could be a bit harsher on him after all if he never scores against the top teams you can all way look at it by saying they have a top defenders that now how to shut him down but the problem is he has not scored or missed a few easy goals against lower clubs
Morning Rico, all, I don’t think that age is as such an issue for Aubameyang because he seems to stay clear of too much physical contact with opponents. For a 31 year old he sprints around like a spring chicken and avoids thundering challenges with his nimble agility.
Maybe it’s style of play or position but for example you see Lacazette battling away in the centre being pushed, pulled and kicked and it takes it toll. Lacazette does pick up injuries due to his style, Aubameyang doesn’t…
As for being labelled a ‘flat track bully’ well I remember Thierry Henry being called that by certain lazy morons in the media.
How many goals has Jamie Vardy scored against Man City and Liverpool?
What about Raul Jimenez or Danny Ings or Harry Kane or Tammy Abrahams, are they all flat track bully’s as well?
The only difference between them and Aubameyang is that uninformed pieces on NewsNow about them doesn’t generate as many clicks
Just playing devils advocate is it possible the reason why lacazette is not scoring is due to the amount of changes to the team around him during the last part of Unai emery then Freddie lyungberg and now Arteta
Hi Geoff, but would we notice as much if others stepped up? Our problem, or at least how I see it, other players aren’t contributing in the way they did when Henry played. Freddie and Bobby were always into double figures.
Morning Kev, good point re Auba’s style of play. Pepe could learn from him as he seems to be the focus for the opposition bullies.
Lacazette does take a few knocks but he does go to ground a bit too easily imo.
That’s kind of the point with the post Kev, I was having an online debate with myself and came to the conclusion that I hope he stays. There’s no escaping the fact that he doesn’t turn up for the big games, but neither do Arsenal in general.
His goals are crucial, regardless of who they’re scored against. The contribution made by others is more of a problem perhaps because no one is getting into double figures each season other than Auba and sometimes Lacazette.
Morning all.
If Auba stays, he will continue to bang in goals.
With some of the younger guys coming through, and if we stiffen you the midfield, we will be more competitive against the top sides so the goals will come.
If Auba signs, sell Laca, buy a top class DM, another young striker and we aren’t far off the mark.
Small steps, improve the squad again next 12 Months down the track and we could be close to competing with the best.
It’s about the style of player .Henry and Auba are similar in style they cut in from wide and often score on the run whereas Lacazette is a box finisher and if you don’t get the ball in the box then he won’t score. He relies on getting half chances on the turn and consequencly misses as many as he scores which makes him look worse than he is.
If we were a team that peppered defences with pressure and shots he would get the rebounds and score many more . We have to remember that quite often we see stats at the end of games where we have had 2 or 3 shots on target and sometimes none .
In my humble opinion , when our midfield gets creative and takes the gamble of shooting he will score goals again. If we continue on the route that we are currently taking , he will not.
Nice one, Rico! For me, it is imperative Auba stays!! I love the guy!!
Michael Oliver tomorrow at Molineux… bad isn’t it, that that’s the first thing I check!!
Been really refreshing in our last couple of games, to have refs that we wouldn’t normally have and to not be having a hissy fit at the TV!! Not sure that’ll carry on tomorrow though 😂😂😂
I still think we need to keep both Auba and Lacazette as the are 2 different type of strikers , Auba goal scoring may improve if he did worry about his contract and make his mind up now to sign or tell the club i want to be sold and not keep dragging it out.
And Ceballos or A N other Scott. We lack creativity too imo.
I’m not convinced he would Potter but I do love to be wrong. About things like this. Nothing else. Lol
Thanks Sue, Oliver is not too bad. It could be worse…
Wasn’t Oliver the VAR who ruled out Kane’s goal and thereby upset that miserable git Moanhio?
He was indeed, Cicero!
I think Oliver is also the ref who stood up to Fergie who then demanded he never officiate their games again……..
Oliver also refereed our cup tie at United when he sent off Di Maria and we beat them with a Danny Welbeck goal – whatever happened to him?
Sue 1:41….I’m convinced there has been an agenda against Arsenal for several years now, regarding referee’s attitudes to us.
Yes what did happen to Daniel Nii Tickie Mensah Welbeck? A very stop start career with Arsenal, mostly stop due to fitness issues, not many goals and even fewer assists. Not the best of signings, in fact a bit of a flop.
Injured I think Cicero, at Watford. Soon to be relegated if they’re not careful…
Martinelli has signed a new long term contract 👍
VCC.. I’m with you on that! 👍
More good news!…………………………..Martinelli has signed a new long term contract!
Damn you Sue! 😆
😂😂😂
Excellent re Martinelli. The club are certainly working hard on contracts. Good.
Hey LC, Martinelli has extended bahahahahaha
I think Lacazette will not stay, not because of his quality, but perhaps because of his age and above all for the extra-football news in the press. Another player I think is going to leave is Ghendouzi, for the inconvenience he has created. Torreira also maybe because he doesn’t seem to like living in England. In another sense, a good option was to propose to MU to exchange Ozil for Bruno Fernandes or Mcity for De Bruyne.
Guendouzi not in any of the pre-match training photos. Is he on the way out?
The problem I see with Guendouzi is that he started off really good and kept improving but lately he seem to have hit a brick wall I still like him but he needs to step up to the next level
Wow two signing first Saka now Martinelli have Arsenal finally understood you need to resign quality players early in there contracts or am I just dreaming
Guendouzi needs to stay on his feet, cut the shit and just play the game.
Simple.
There are always people who can’t though Scott, the world is full of them and sport is no exception to the rule. It’s in their DNA. Perhaps Matteo Guendouzi is one of them, like Kyrigos (bad spelling on both)
New post up now