Is Aubameyang Running Out Of Excuses? | OneFootball

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Just Arsenal News

·24 November 2020

Is Aubameyang Running Out Of Excuses?

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Is Aubameyang Running Out Of Excuses? By Dan Smith

Lacazette wouldn’t have enjoyed being dropped this weekend, but if there is one positive for him personally, it’s at least for the next week he can’t be blamed for Aubameyang’s failures.


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In reality, the events at Elland Road just made Laca’s work rate stand out. If nothing else the striker works hard.

So many critics got their way on Sunday. Our captain, who at the start of this season has been invisible on the left was asked to play through the middle and was equally invisible.

Yet it’s been a case for a while that there are some players some gooners are comfortable to blame, while others you can’t dare question. Maybe fans find it easier making excuses then facing the truth? The truth being that once he signed his new contract, our skipper has grown comfortable.

Maybe some find admitting that, means they have to accept that Ozil is not the only player over 30 being paid over the odds.

Don’t get me wrong I rate Auba, but I care about Arsenal more. It’s not fair to hold certain Gunners to a certain standards but not others. It’s certainly outrageous to blame his teammates for his form.

I’m sure Ozil likes better players to pass to, or a world class DM mopping up for him, but I remember many not allowing that to be a factor.

So why now can Auba hide behind a lack of service or positioning as to why approx. 250 000 pound a week has so far paid for 2 Leauge goals (so far)?

Him being out of position is another myth.

Consider this, this was the first League game the current regime asked him to start in the centre. Just think about that for a second, Since last December Auba has scored 20 goals playing on the left.

So suddenly why would that be an issue now? Lack of service? Are you telling me we had any more creativity last campaign?

Again it’s scary how a section of our fanbase think. On one hand our midfield is good enough to leave Ozil out of the entire squad, but on the other, can we make Auba immune from being questioned because our midfield is rubbish?

The reality is (and this reflects society) it’s easier to point the finger then look in a mirror. The man will score goals again, of course he will. Yet for whatever reason (and it could be many factors) he has lost his edge.

It’s okay to say that it doesn’t make you any less of a fan to call out the obvious. The man who’s wage dictates that he should be making the difference is currently one of our worst performers this season.

The day he extended his deal he spoke about wanting to become a legend like Ian Wright, Bergkamp and Thierry Henry. Of course he was told to say that by the marketing department. He will never be a legend. A good player, of course. A legend? He couldn’t lace the boots of those names.

It’s nothing to do with goals either. Anyone can have a drought. It’s the work rate. Even if Henry didn’t score, he’d do something. If Ian Wright didn’t, he would look hurt, like it mattered.

This is technically our main leader; someone the youngsters should be looking up to. It’s sad that we reached a level where we are settling for going to a newly promoted team, defending and hoping on the break Auba might take one chance.

When Auba scored twice in the FA Cup Final he did so from the left, Laca in the middle, Pepe on the right, a midfield of Xhaka and Ceballos. Rightfully he got all the plaudits at Wembley. It works both ways though.

Like Laca, service, positioning wasn’t the reason he tore Chelsea apart, we can’t now use that to hide the reality that at the moment Aubameyang has been a passenger. Is Aubameyang running out of excuses?

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Dan Smith

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