The celebration from Eddie after his goal at the weekend caused a few raised eyebrows but as expected, it was just a bit of in house fun rather than him getting ahead of himself.
“It’s just a little phone call! In pre-season Arsenal Media came up with a little thing ‘call me if you need a goal’ so I have kind of just stuck with it.
“A lot of my friends like it so they are eager for me to dial them up if I get on the scoresheet so I try to enjoy each goal, whether that is youth level, in the park, anywhere I always try to celebrate and enjoy it and it is always a blessing to score.”
As if a young player with two Premier League starts under his belt would tout himself about in public? He’s an Arsenal lad, adopted of course but that was Chelsea’s fault for giving up on him far too early. Just like all of younger players though, their journey is just beginning and they are far from being the real deal. Look at Marcus McGuane now, 21 years old and out on loan at Telstar, whoever they are. In fact I can’t think of many youngsters who got itchy feet and went on to have a great career. Gnabry is doing well, Bennacer too I think and Anelka did ok I guess. The most important thing our younger guys need at this stage in their life is good advice and that’s not to run before they can walk. Arsenal FC are on the rise and in five years time, it could very well be us as the club every young player wants to join.
I’m not sure I agree with Mikel Arteta’s alleged comments made after Sunday’s match. Of course Aubameyang is a very important player in this Arsenal team but to single him out as being the ‘most important’ is a tad unfair on a few of the others. The saves made by Leno, the last ditch tackles to prevent a goal scoring opportunity, the players who provide the goal scoring opportunities for our captain are just as important as the captain himself in my opinion. But I do admire Arteta’s openness, the way he almost talks to the fans personally through his press conferences. No sooner have we been questioning why a certain player has started, or not as the case might be, it’s like he knows because invariably he explains why in his next interview. Not in any great depth but then if a player simply isn’t working hard enough in training, it’s pretty easy for him to explain.
I’m not sure what to make of his other comments about Aubameyang either.
I think it’s been tough for a player like him, because there’s been a lot of disappointment in the last few months or years because he has big expectations and he wants to play for the biggest clubs in the biggest tournaments. He wants to be up there with the best players in the world, and we have to try and support him and give him everything as a club, so that he really feels fulfilled here. That’s the challenge that we have.
Doesn’t every footballer want to be doing the same? This has to be about his contract situation but it almost comes across as a public begging story playing out. Aubameyang either wants to stay at Arsenal or he doesn’t. The club comes before any one individual and it always will.
He’s a great player, a top class player but Arsenal are a top class club too. One which looks in a much better shape now than when he arrived that’s for sure.
Catch up in the comments guys.
Don’t know why this is worth an article and I also think you are looking at these comments from a totaly wrong perspective. When I read these comments, I was happy. Because Arteta clearly showed a few things by stating this.
1) Arsenal will not let their best players just leave
2) Auba is wanted and loved by the club and they want him to stay
3) He said that he is our most important player not because he scores goals, but because of his attitude as a captain and his desire and determination, which also infects other players
4) He told Auba, that we had a tough spell, but it is over now and we are a top club too. I guess when Auba arrived we looked like a team to play cl football because we did so since 2 decades. What followed was an absence of cl football since he is here. Besides Auba is 30 and has not many years left, so stating that we are up there again soon is not begging, but the truth. We were net good enough or elite in the last 3 or 4 years.
5) If I think of the current squad, Auba is probably the first name that comes to my mind when I think of worldclass players. Don’t get me wrong – I love our squad, I love Özil, Leno, Laca, Mustafi, Xhaka and they are all top players – but Auba is our best player. In a bad season he won the golden boot, this year – in our worst season since ages – he looks to be able to do that too.
I do not see that as begging him to stay, but to telling him that this is the right place for him, though we were not up to the task from the day he arrived here, but now we are.
Yes the club is bigger than any individual player, but I see no reason in not putting out such comments. Without big players, the club will not get to where it was or where it should be.
But that’s the way it goes in Arsenal blogs nowadays. Always focus on negativity. Always interpret bad things into each statement. MALaybe as fans, don’t you think we should focus on positive energy in such a difficult time. Maybe we should be happy, that our manager comes out and tells our best player, that we love and want him and that we are on the up.
Morning all.
I guess plenty took Eddie’s gesture as him being a smart arse, but after an explanation, seems it was totally innocent and not at all arrogant.
Context is all important and Arteta should be given the same latitude, I reckon.
It’s clear he wants Auba to stay and fair enough, and I thought his comments were pretty direct without going overboard.
I’d say he was answering a question about Auba and not necessarily singling the guy out but admittedly, I didn’t see the interview.
Players want to be wanted and appreciated.
The ghost. The whole idea of an article is to invite debate. You may very well be right in the way you perceive Mikel comments but I read them the way I did. As for focusing on the negative, you’re accusing the wrong person I’m afraid as I’m very positive about the club, Arteta and the way forward.
Aubameyang is important but he’s also holding all the cards over a new contract…
Very clear Scott and I can understand why but as you know, I was critical of Ramsey for not committing to the club when he had the chance under Wenger and we know what happened there.
If Auba sees out his contract, the board will get the blame but if a player wants to stay, signing that contract should be an easy decision to make. A lot can happen over the next three months but if Auba doesn’t sign, the board have a huge decision to make.
I actually enjoyed today’s Post, Rico.
It is interesting that whenever anyone criticises a blog Author for being negative, they themselves are being much more negative about someone who has gone to the bother of writing an article, (almost everyday) for the benefit and enjoyment of the rest of us.
And on what evidence? His own interpretation of what he thinks Mikel, in this case, meant by what he said.
Not every blog is the same, and to jumble HH in with every other blog is rather naive.
Anyway, I was amused by Eddie, and thought he deserved to have a ‘moment’ when scoring his first (?) first team goal of the season. 😜
Good morning Rico, nice read thank you.
The openness shown by Arteta is a welcome change from the caginess of Wenger and the incomprehensible mumbling of Emery. He gives me the impression of being a straight talking guy without revealing too much inside information.
The Aubameyang situation is a difficult one. Our chances of Champions League football next season seem remote to say the least. Win the Europa League, attain fourth or maybe fifth place, but that won’t be sufficient if City manage to overturn their ban, so Auba’s desire to get in with the best means his ambition will not be realised, at Arsenal, until the end of the season.
The club must decide first do they want to keep him at all costs, or are they willing to accept that his price will be to high and cash in on his current value.
Xhaka appears to have put his tantrum behind him as is again happy to help the club in any way he can. When Aubameyang was shown red against Crystal Palace he handed the armband to Xhaka who didn’t feel it right to take it but both Luis and Sokratis told him to accept it, so he did.
It really looks as if a new spirit has been instilled in the team for which Arteta deserves a great deal of credit.
Thanks RA.
I don’t want to be overly critical of other fans views because I believe 8n fairness but I think today’s case is perhaps just one article taken in isolation and assumptions drawn re my negativity.
My concern with the comments is the message it sends out to other players who really are committed to the club. We’ve seen it before when players hold the club to ransom and it seldom ends well.
As said in the post, Arsenal were possibly at their worst when Auba signed… didn’t stop him…
Morning Rico. That’s what Donald Trump does. He states wrongly what someone never said in the first place and then tries to spin it to his own advantage. Utter nonsense.
As far as Aubamayang goes. Every player has a shelf life and the board and manager must take a cold view of what he can or might do and then weigh that against the cost of that estimation. If a huge offer came in then I think they would take it and invest in a much younger player whose performance/cost balance, though still a judgement call could be more suited to the club’s ambition as it moves forward.
What they won’t do is to make the coming end-of-season decisions based on sentiment. I imagine that Mikel is hedging his bets with his praise for Auba. If he signs a new contract then great, but if he decides he wants a final big payday somewhere else, then move on. But they are going to have to replace his gold nd that won’t come cheap.
There are a few that are likely to leave I reckon.
Morning Cicero. Thanks.
I agree re CL football etc and one could add our lack of finances to the list. I’m still optimistic we can push up the table but to achieve top four we’re going to have to rely on those above us having a meltdown. And us getting something from the Toots, City, Liverpool game as well as many others.
Morning Adam.
I agree, there is no room for sentiment with Auba or anyone else. I read Charlie Nic or someone else suggest that we should keep him to his contract and let him leave for free if that’s how it pans out. I thought such an idea was ridiculous really. Without CL football etc, allowing anyone to leave for free would be financial suicide.
If Aubameyang doesn’t know now what his future holds then my guess is that it’s not with Arsenal.
I also ask myself, wish this the real Aubameyang we are seeing, or just another player putting a shift in to either attract other clubs or an Ozil style pay rise….
Rico, players and their agents do wield too much power now, imo.
We all know loyalty is all too rare but then,
clubs will can a player when it suits so I guess it goes both ways a little.
If Auba stays then great, but if he hasn’t signed by seasons end, I’d most definitely cash in.
I agree Rico but people like Charlie and Merse have this idea of the ‘big club’ and as they never tire of telling us “Big clubs don’t sell their best players.”
As I always say, “It’s a game of two halves”. Or something like that anyway.
If they don’t want to stay, sell them, but do it on your own terms.
HI Rico there is no way you are negative about the club other wise you and me would agree a lot
Arsenal have in the past Scott but I’d imagine to vast pay hikes are a thing of the past. I think Edu and Raul stressed that.
Exactly Adam. Probably why they are employed by Sky and not a football club. They’d bankrupt a club with their ideas.
Hi Geoff, very true. Lol
Hi All I was one that said I did not like the way Nketiah celebrated the reason why when you look at the problem we have in getting Saka to sign a new contract at the time it looked like he was going to be next one to stall over a new contract. how ever I am glad he explained what it ment personally I would like to see both Nketiah and Saka stay as the work well together a for Aubameyang if he does not sign by the end of this season then sell him.
Nice one (again!), Rico! I actually liked the celebration, it was really cool 😜 I was glad for him too, as it was a great goal. When he bagged that brace against Norwich a few seasons back, I had high hopes for him… so let’s hope this is it for him! 👍
I don’t even want to think about Auba not signing…….☹
The decision to sell Aubameyang can only come if and when we no longer have any chance of making the Champions League ie, out of the Europa League and mathematically impossible to reach fifth place. At that point Aubameyang must make it clear that he is willing to sign a new contract or be sold.
Thanks Sue, it was certainly different. Lol
Rico, I thought this was a great post ! Thank You.
We don’t want Auba to leave, of course not, But if he is not committed and wants to go then what’s the point in trying to keep him.
I agree, yes tell him he’s important, a great player,we want to keep him etc. But not he’s the most important player in the team.
He did play really well and showed a lot of commitment against Everton, but in other games he has seemed dis-interested and really frustrated me.
We must learn our lesson and not let players leave on a free anymore.If they really want to stay they will !
Morning Rico, thanks for the post, I also didn’t see it as negative but it actually worked, it got a debate and Ghost posted a comment for the first time, so well done everyone.
If Arsenal have to sell Aubameyang this summer, for whatever reason, it makes sense for Arteta to tell everyone and his dog that Auba is very important to us and our best player.
In other words, if you want Aubameyang you’d better come in with a serious offer…
‘Incomprehensible mumblings’, I did laugh at that Cicero… 😁
Good Morning to The Lady of the House and all fellow Gooners in residence.
Rico – Interesting you should mention Gnabry in your article. I have wondered for some time why he chose to leave our club. It seems we have Clueless Tony Pubis to ‘thank’ for that. See the following interview with Gnabry;
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/51615027
As for Arteta’s comments about Aubameyang – I didn’t catch his comments in full. Was he referring to the Everton game specifically? If so, then your comments re most valuable player are valid. However, if it was for the season to date, then I would say he is our most valuable player, It has been his goals that have kept in with a chance of getting back in the CL.
That being said, if an acceptable offer for him is received and Aubameyang wants to go, then so be it.
CG, from the original reports that I read I took Arteta to mean most valuable player overall. He appears to be Arteta’s first name on the team sheet and has been handed the Captain’s armband, although that has been a poisoned chalice in the past, Vermaelen, Henry, RvP, Fabregas, Koscielny et al.
Cicero – Thank you for the clarification.
Also, thumbs up re “…the incomprehensible mumbling of Emery…”. I know English was a second? language for him, but I found it painful listening to his press conferences, so I rarely did.
Still can’t find any news about Kolasinac. Everywhere I look it’s Liverpool this, Liverpool that… everyone gushing and drooling…. making me want to hurl 😄 because of them I can’t wait until this season is over!!
Thanks Mike, I was surprised by the first comment of the day because a, I’m not negative about the club, b, too many players before Auba have been in this situation and seldom have they stayed.
Morning Kev, Cg. I think the comments were in general Cg but I know this is me guessing, a different striker might have scored more. Imagine a Henry or a Wrighty up front with the chances we’ve created.
Also Kev, Arteta’s comments tell us that it’s Aubas choice and not the clubs.
My main gripe was ‘the most important’ which in a team game, isn’t the best thing to say imo.
Rico – “My main gripe was ‘the most important’ which in a team game, isn’t the best thing to say imo.” Although he may or may not be, depending on our personal opinions, our most valuable player; he is not irreplaceable.
Arteta’s comments might be a plea for him to stay or it may be an early bit of salesmanship. If he is to go we’d want the best deal possible.
Absolutely Rico, We can’t win re keeping or selling players .
People moan when we sell our best players and moan when they leave for nothing !
Players and agents hold all the cards and now with FFP rules things are a bit tougher.
Our history isn’t great as you say for players being in Aubas’ situation, and we can’t afford to risk losing out AGAIN.
Not negative Rico……Realistic.
We all agree on that Cg. £100m I’d have thought.. Or close.
Exactly Mike, look at the stick the club got for allowing Ramsey to leave for nothing.
Rico, I think you can interpret ‘the most important ‘ as meaning ‘the most valuable’ it’s all about messages and I think that message is aimed at any club who thinks they can take Auba cheaply this summer.
Don’t forget that Barca tried to put out ‘a message’ that they’d like to take Auba on loan this January – on loan ffs, the arrogance of that mob know no bounds…
They may not have said it themselves but they no doubt put the feelers out via their local media.
There’s been alternatively another rumour doing the rounds recently, that is that some ‘unnamed’ club is actually willing to bid £96m for Aubameyang in the summer, did that rumour come from Raul via some media outlets in the U.K..?
It’s all a game of brag…
We need to find the resources to tie down Saka this summer, that deal, if we’re successful and I hope we are, could cost a lot of dough and it could effect what we can offer Aubameyang, we are also sailing close to our limit as far as wages are concerned and FFP.
Then there’s new signings, if we can afford them and we have to tie down Martinelli to a new deal, Huss Fahmy is in for a very busy 12 months…
Afternoon Rico/everyone,
interesting stuff,I was a little surprised to hear one player singled out,Arteta speaks so well though,he’s so impressive.As others have said,he is going to talk Aubameyang up anyway.
One thing noticeable on Sunday was how happy Aubameyang is at Arsenal, and popular with his team mates too.Unless one of the elite clubs, Barcelona,Real Madrid,Bayern,PSG,Juventus bid for him,I can see him running his contract down.
Surely the club can’t afford that.
As Scott says all the power is with the player,and agent.
Kev, Cg, You make a good point Re most valuable. Maybe I’m not giving Arteta enough credit for being a good salesman. I hope so !
As long as it’s sorted out in the summer.
As for getting Martinelli and Saka tied down for new deals , absolutely right !
Spot on Kev, auba cannot go for cheap but saying that, the one year only suggests he might. He might be important but if he’s not committed then he’s not our future.
Afternoon Limey. Auba sure holds all the cards. Player/agent power has gone mad
I’d say Saka and Martinelli are more important than Auba because they are more likely to be our future.
We haven’t even mentioned Lacazette yet 😉
Looking at Martinelli and Nketiah I think Lacazette is dropping down the pecking order. I would prioritise signing them to long contracts over any offers to Lacazette.
Hi Rico,
You’ve certainly incited some comments today, even dug me out, although more from comments against you :-); I know how positive you are!
I think Mikel is saying the obvious: Auba is our most valuable player (sale value) but also for his attitude, team value and his goals have kept us competitive or certainly out of the relegation zone (in this season).
He does need the right service in order to display his skills and Mikel is not only easing others into the artillery to cause further distractions but developing them to replace both him and Laca.
Is it possible that agreeing higher wages to some of these players is being delayed due to financial ability: FFP etc. Certainly come summer we’ll have high wage players leaving and unwanted ones too – this year the change around will occur earlier due to business being done before the Euros if possible and that suits our balance of wages….
As I see it Mikhi, Sokratis, Laca, Elneny, probably Ozil and Mustafi, even Torreira will be gone for upgrades or younger players to increase our energy, capability, height and athletic capabilities to suit Mikel’s vision and our wage bill expense.
If we qualify Auba may well sign up, if not his value will add to our recruitment drive. Exciting stuff!
Speaking of Gnabry.. I’m hoping for a masterclass from him tonight, just like against the spuds back in October! Come on!!!!!
Hi Pat, well if it woke you up, it’s all good for me. 😆
You’re optimistic with all the player exits. Mikki and Elneny are likely to go but the others are likely to stay I reckon. Especially Ozil as I think he’s already hinted towards running down his contract.
If what’s written is true, FFP is a big problem with our wages.
ESR has assisted for Huddersfield 👍
Can’t believe Chelsea Bayern is 0-0!
Gnabry scored 👍👍
Bloody hell he’s on a hat trick!! 👌
You’ve got your wish Sue 😂
Is Gnarbry the new Hazard? We had him and failed to nurture him.
It mustn’t be allowed to happen again. Saka, Willock, Martinelli, AMN, Smith Rowe, etc etc.
Who amongst them is/are going to morph into our next world class players? I’m certain that several of them will but, there is some uncertainty that their metamorphosis will be with the Arsenal.
Let Gnarbry be the ultimate warning to the management that they must cosset and cuddle their would be stars and heroes of the future. Ah, decisions decisions.
Agent Gnabry on a mission to take down our rivals.
👍 Rico!! He really is a joy to watch… but then it sinks in that he was once ours and the pittance we let him go for… then I’m depressed 😄
Power-‘serge’ in London again…. Alonso saw red… 3-0 defeat… smacked arse look on Lampard’s face… what a night 👌
Nice one, Bayern!
I blame the numpty who didn’t play him Sue and then sent him off to Pulis. How idiotic was that…
Agree Wavy. It’d be a sin to not do everything to try and keep them but if they want out, what can a club do?
Exactly, Rico 👍
And the codswallop Pulis came out with – I wonder what he must be thinking now!!
Wenger or Pulis Sue? 😜
Both I would say Rico. was that the worst decision Wenger made?
Hahaha Rico…I’ll have to echo Cicero and say both 😉😜
I think I would too Sue
New post up now