Aubameyang exit shows Arsenal ushering in new era

arsenal

In Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Arsenal have rid of one of the final reminders of the late Arsene Wenger era.

A major-money signing in January 2018, the Gabonese forward summed up the final years of the Wenger dynasty perfectly. A wonderfully gifted forward at times reminiscent of Thierry Henry (though clearly not as good), there was always a concern as to how seriously he was actually taking things.

That may well be unfair and, given Aubameyang’s impressive track-record across Europe’s major leagues, slightly reductive.

Still, this is a player largely unfancied by the true elite. Indeed, his frequent disciplinary issues at Arsenal certainly haven’t helped either, despite some signs of true leadership such as his FA Cup-winning goals in 2020.

To let him leave on a free transfer at this stage is, of course, a risk. That’s even without mentioning the amount of money the club have pretty much written off in order to so.

After all, Arsenal are struggling for goals and did not sign anything approaching a replacement over the course of the January transfer window. Should Mikel Arteta’s side finish outside of the top four, the Aubameyang saga could come back to bite him.

The decision to let him leave, however, says much more about where Arsenal want to go than where they currently are. In the grand scheme of things, the next few months are not likely to matter.

Arteta is safe in his position. Promoted from head coach to manager in a matter of months and backed to the hilt in the transfer market, Arsenal seem unlikely to make a change on the managerial front even if they do not manage a long-awaited return to the Champions League.

The young team Arteta has created will grow. There’s too much talent flowing through it to deny that, whether or not the Spaniard is the best man to piece it altogether. In the summer, they will have much more to spend on wages now their highest earner has departed, potentially allowing for a marquee addition.

Aubameyang never really seemed to fit. While few would doubt his quality or technical ability, having such a maverick in the team just doesn’t fit with the Arteta principle. When Arsenal are at their best under him, there’s something reminiscent of Manchester City, an almost mental hold over the opposition creating space for quick interplay. To do that, you need malleable players.

While City are an unfair comparison to anybody in terms of success, they do not place much emphasis on the individual. First Riyad Mahrez and now Jack Grealish are learning that. Aubameyang, despite his proven track record, is almost too charismatic a player to slot into a team full of young talents moulded in the image of a manager obsessed with control.

A lack of control is exactly what undermined the latter years of the Wenger era, of which Aubameyang was the last major signing. Even almost half a decade on, it remains in some quarters, given the number of red cards Artera’s side are prone to getting.

If things are ever going to truly change, the squad needs gutting. That is a painful, expensive process and surely the likes of Granit Xhaka will follow Aubameyang through the door but it tells us just how safe Arteta is.

The decision to back him over first Ozil and then Aubameyang makes a mockery of the dreaded “player power” we’ve heard so much about in recent years. All of Arsenal’s eggs are in one basket now.

In many ways, they’re moving back to the old-fashioned model of having one manager in charge of everything which, ultimately, proved to be Wenger’s downfall when he lost touch. Football really is a cycle.

 


 

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