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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: From Thriller To Bad, Should He Just Beat It?

Riou

In The Winchester, Waiting For This To Blow Over

Country: Northern Ireland

Player:Gabriel
Hope he gets at least one goal tomorrow...he's had a very difficult season, professionally but mainly personally, deserves to end it on a positive note.

Backing him to have a strong season next year though, Auba isn't finished yet!
 

OSBK

Established Member
LMAO.

He's been like this since his time at dortmund and he outscored Lewandowski in the Bundesliga. He came here and won the golden boot in his first full season and was just one goal say from winning the golden boot in his second season, but no one complained then.

Comparing benteke and Werner, (two meme strikers) to Auba just shows your level of agenda.

Fact remains, he's one the best CF in the past 10 years. He's one of the fittest players in europe. He's still very much in peak physical condition. The record speaks for itself. He's one of the few strikers in history to win the Bundesliga and EPL Golden boot. Ask your boy Arteta why he can't get the best out of Arteta.

Your comparing him to lewa? And you think im mad :D

You can quote all you want about him scoring a billion goals in the moon league and having 25 world cups. His history is great we can all agree(nowhere near lewa), but that history in germany means nothing to me as i only care about one club mate. Sadly this season on the pitch when we needed fight and leadership he wasnt there. You seem to miss that point. thats the same agenda i have with nearly all of the players bar the young ones, its unlucky for auba he is captain so he is first in the firing line.
 

bonzka

Active Member
Hope he gets at least one goal tomorrow...he's had a very difficult season, professionally but mainly personally, deserves to end it on a positive note.

Backing him to have a strong season next year though, Auba isn't finished yet!
Also the highest he's ever been paid in a season. Likely increased his fleet of ostentatious cars to lift his spirits.

He has not been good enough this season and needs to be held accountable.
 

Riou

In The Winchester, Waiting For This To Blow Over

Country: Northern Ireland

Player:Gabriel
Also the highest he's ever been paid in a season. Likely increased his fleet of ostentatious cars to lift his spirits.

He has not been good enough this season and needs to be held accountable.

Before this season, Auba has...

1. About 75 goals in two and a half seasons at Arsenal, which averages about 30 goals every full season.
2. Played a big part in us winning our record 14th FA Cup.
3. Was voted in the team of the year just last season, also won the golden boot the year before that.
4. Not to mention, he seems to be a pretty popular captain with the players (if not the most vocal)

...he hasn't been good enough this season, but considering what he has done for us...I think he deserves the benefit of the doubt for one poor year.
 

samspade

"You said I said" detection expert at your service
I won't lie, I wanted him to stay at the time but with hindsight we should have sold him last summer. The Arsenal collective is not strong enough to sustain a striker who contributes nothing except goals in my opinion. Spin it whatever way you want: he's not good enough, we aren't making chances for him, to me it's clear that we no longer benefit each other. In a stronger team he could well be extremely effective but Arsenal need a more rounded striker who can contribute in a number of different ways, a striker who helps to make the play because Arsenal are not strong enough to afford passengers or luxury items in the build up. Balogun and Laca both fit the bill but I think Pepe could too.
 

amigo

Active Member
Also the highest he's ever been paid in a season. Likely increased his fleet of ostentatious cars to lift his spirits.

He has not been good enough this season and needs to be held accountable.
He will be the first to agree that he hasn't hit the standards or number of goals that were expected of him. The big question is why? The are a lot of mitigating circumstances this year. With an asset like him it's criminal negligence not to build your team around him like Leicester havering Vardy. No point at all trying to teach an old dog new tricks.
 

Macho

In search of Pure Profit 💸
Dusted 🔻

Country: England
I think wishing for a striker who can create chances for himself is bollocks ngl. Who in the league is doing that :lol:

Even the “perfect striker” VP needed service and Fergie made it a point to give him that service. I don’t quite get that critique.

Ive said all season the pressure for our forwards to convert the 2/3 chances a game we make is completely ridiculous. I think even our greats would see their outputs cut in half if they played in this version of Arsenal (I have nothing to prove this just saying).

Our playmakers are essentially Luiz or Holding, along with Tierney lumping in crosses to guys who don’t thrive off crosses when he’s fit.
 

2Smokeyy

5.0 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (49)
Trusted ⭐

Country: England
One of the issues that I have with our two main striking options (Aubameyang and Lacazette) is that they don’t have any standout qualities and they’re both very similar profiles judging by their performances this season.

Although with Aubameyang I think it’s slightly harsh to heavily criticise him as it could be a confidence thing especially being managed under Mikel Arteta and his dreadful football. I think even world class strikers like Kane and Haaland wouldn’t get the numbers they’re currently getting and they’d struggle in our system as they would have to feed off the scraps of our broken system.

It’s criminal what the club are currently doing, they’re leaving a criminal in a job who is delighted when we create two chances per game for our main striker.
 

TinFish

Well-Known Member
Do we need new blood though? We have Auba backed up by Laca - that’s pretty good for a non CL team, with Martinelli as the new blood you can develop at CF maybe.

I don’t see what a new blood does if they are the type who need service.

If we accept our mediocrity then you are correct. But I'd rather get rid of old, expensive players and replace with cheaper, younger ones. Whats the worst that can happen? Failing to get a spot in Europa conference league again?

Of course what I'm saying is purely wishful thinking. My first priority if to get Arteta out, even Brucey boy can get the best out of Joe Willock ffs.
 

Macho

In search of Pure Profit 💸
Dusted 🔻

Country: England
If we accept our mediocrity then you are correct. But I'd rather get rid of old, expensive players and replace with cheaper, younger ones. Whats the worst that can happen? Failing to get a spot in Europa conference league again?
The squad is teeming with young cheap players and last I checked we were still mediocre. It's literally the striker position where we have older players and even then, we have young options like Martinelli and Eddie (one popular, one not).

The whole notion of cheap young players is massively overrated within itself on these forums tbh.

We will get more somewhat rated players around the 20-23 age range this summer anyways like we do every summer, you'll see it's gonna do f*ck all.
 

Legend14

Established Member
I think wishing for a striker who can create chances for himself is bollocks ngl. Who in the league is doing that :lol:

Even the “perfect striker” VP needed service and Fergie made it a point to give him that service. I don’t quite get that critique.

Ive said all season the pressure for our forwards to convert the 2/3 chances a game we make is completely ridiculous. I think even our greats would see their outputs cut in half if they played in this version of Arsenal (I have nothing to prove this just saying).

Our playmakers are essentially Luiz or Holding, along with Tierney lumping in crosses to guys who don’t thrive off crosses when he’s fit.
Chances? Our movement up front is so poor. Its hard to pass to players not making intelligent runs. Our players stand next to defenders or make predictable vertical runs beside defenders. I would hate to be a 10, 8, or 6 on Arsenal.

Both Xhaka and Partey can pass the ball, but most of the time they can’t find anything interesting to do. This won’t change if we sign Bissouma who can also pass the ball. Ødegaard had one assist FFS.

The strategic attack needs to change first and foremost. There are no Özil-like miracle workers around.
 

BigPoppaPump

Reeling from Laca & Kos nightmares
He was playing LB for the first 3 months of the season? Then he’s in a team that creates absolutely nothing at all, then he got malaria.

Why give him a big contract and have him tracking back all game like Park Ji Sung. That’s not his game.

Mishandled by the club and manager.
Can’t believe you were twerking for Arteta all season watching that.
 

MikeVinna

Established Member
Chance creation is a massive issue. And Auba has suffered the most because of it. Yes we won the FA cup but the manner in which we won those games is not sustainable. Combine our poor attacking tactics with playing LW/LM/LWB for half a season and contracting Malaria after that and you can easily explain why he’s done poorly this season.

Next season he’ll at least be fit and it’s up to Mikel to get the best out of him. I doubt we’ll get to see that though..
 

musoke

Active Member
I can see the Auba thread is turning into the old Özil thread.

Let me ask. What has dramatically changed from last season when we won the FA cup to this season when Auba improved his contract?
Was he playing as a lone striker or winger before his new contract and now playing as a LB or DM after his spanking new contract?

Last season when Arteta first came in, we played some of the most boring defensive football I have ever seen in my entire gooner life. But because we were winning games we accepted it.
Basically we just parked the bus and hit teams on the counter with massive luck on our side. In that period we hardly ever got above 35% possession against the likes of Liverpool, City, Chelsea, United etc. But Auba was working so hard, he was tracking back, hustling, buzzing and full of energy. With all that enthusiasm goals were just flying in. Nearly every shot Auba would take during that period would end up in a goal. He would shooot from 25 yards, from the left, right or centre etc and those shots would go in or worry the keepers.

That’s back when Arteta had just taken over from Emery and Auba was playing for his next contract. I remember we were using Auba as an example against Özil being lazy and just enjoying his £350,000 a week retirement package.

Now I ask. What has happened between that time period and the time after he signed his new contract? He has better teams today, isn’t it? You have youngsters like Smith rowe and Saka maturing so much this season.

And was he playing as a lone striker since he joined Arsenal in 2017? Or has he mostly been played off wide and that never stopped him scoring 20+ goals a season.

People always call for him to be played as a lone striker. But the guy is one of the worst in that position. He is poor aerially, weak with his back to goal, poor hold up, poor link up, easily bulliec off the ball etc. Everything just bounces off him as compared to a much smaller Laca. Every time Auba has been played as the main CF has has looked out of depth and it feels like we are playing with a man down.

All he needs to do is pull his finger out, stop thinking about how much you are earning a week (£350,000 a week), and just get yourself back into that psychological / mental state you were in before the new contract. I feel like once some of these players between the ages of 29+ get these massive last payday contracts, they lose that sense of purpose. They just relax with a big sigh of relief.
 

musoke

Active Member
Arteta said he was going to build the team around Auba and then did the opposite.
Build the team around so and so blah blah....

There is nothing that is as cringeworthy as at Catchphrase. Whenever good player’s performances drop, then this catchphrase is regurgitated.

It‘s like a stop gap or god of the gaps kind of one size fits all statement.

Once performance levels of a much liked player drop, then excuses galore. People will go back and try to rewrite history just to try to explain away the poor drop in performances.
 

Trilly

Hates A-M, Saka, Arteta and You
Trusted ⭐

Country: England
I like Auba a lot but I do take issue with the fact that his performances fell off a cliff once he got his contract
Remember when he was tracking fullbacks, sprinting to help with the high press and then making challenges in his own box before going the other way and scoring wonder goals?

Only so long you can do that while the results are ****. That’s the weakness of pressing football, it has to be at 100% intensity to work and it’s hard to keep players at that level when the reward isn’t clear.

I think that’s why we don’t press that much as a team nowadays. Mikel realised a while ago that it wasn’t working.
 

Alexs

Active Member

Country: England
Clearly huge final contracts don't tend to work out well. (The vast majority of AM was clamouring for it though). In Auba's case I'd put Arteta's joyless management, his mum being very sick and contracting malaria as bigger factors.
 

bonzka

Active Member
Before this season, Auba has...

1. About 75 goals in two and a half seasons at Arsenal, which averages about 30 goals every full season.
2. Played a big part in us winning our record 14th FA Cup.
3. Was voted in the team of the year just last season, also won the golden boot the year before that.
4. Not to mention, he seems to be a pretty popular captain with the players (if not the most vocal)

...he hasn't been good enough this season, but considering what he has done for us...I think he deserves the benefit of the doubt for one poor year.
Not disputing he's been brilliant for us in very ordinary teams. But top players by definition shouldn't have a whole season of poor play. The decline is alarming.

How long does he get to 'prove' himself next year before we seriously have to consider another option?
 

samspade

"You said I said" detection expert at your service
I can see the Auba thread is turning into the old Özil thread.

Let me ask. What has dramatically changed from last season when we won the FA cup to this season when Auba improved his contract?
Was he playing as a lone striker or winger before his new contract and now playing as a LB or DM after his spanking new contract?

Last season when Arteta first came in, we played some of the most boring defensive football I have ever seen in my entire gooner life. But because we were winning games we accepted it.
Basically we just parked the bus and hit teams on the counter with massive luck on our side. In that period we hardly ever got above 35% possession against the likes of Liverpool, City, Chelsea, United etc. But Auba was working so hard, he was tracking back, hustling, buzzing and full of energy. With all that enthusiasm goals were just flying in. Nearly every shot Auba would take during that period would end up in a goal. He would shooot from 25 yards, from the left, right or centre etc and those shots would go in or worry the keepers.

That’s back when Arteta had just taken over from Emery and Auba was playing for his next contract. I remember we were using Auba as an example against Özil being lazy and just enjoying his £350,000 a week retirement package.

Now I ask. What has happened between that time period and the time after he signed his new contract? He has better teams today, isn’t it? You have youngsters like Smith rowe and Saka maturing so much this season.

And was he playing as a lone striker since he joined Arsenal in 2017? Or has he mostly been played off wide and that never stopped him scoring 20+ goals a season.

People always call for him to be played as a lone striker. But the guy is one of the worst in that position. He is poor aerially, weak with his back to goal, poor hold up, poor link up, easily bulliec off the ball etc. Everything just bounces off him as compared to a much smaller Laca. Every time Auba has been played as the main CF has has looked out of depth and it feels like we are playing with a man down.

All he needs to do is pull his finger out, stop thinking about how much you are earning a week (£350,000 a week), and just get yourself back into that psychological / mental state you were in before the new contract. I feel like once some of these players between the ages of 29+ get these massive last payday contracts, they lose that sense of purpose. They just relax with a big sigh of relief.
I agree with a lot of what you say here but I don’t think motivation is the cause, I think we just tend to have more of the ball and we don’t hit teams on the counter really. Not that Auba is particulately a target to hit on the counter now but if you set them up and Auba is the last player in the chain he’s pretty good at finishing them. To me his visible frustrations show he’s still committed, Arsenal and Auba just don’t suit each other anymore as I said in my previous post.
I won't lie, I wanted him to stay at the time but with hindsight we should have sold him last summer. The Arsenal collective is not strong enough to sustain a striker who contributes nothing except goals in my opinion. Spin it whatever way you want: he's not good enough, we aren't making chances for him, to me it's clear that we no longer benefit each other. In a stronger team he could well be extremely effective but Arsenal need a more rounded striker who can contribute in a number of different ways, a striker who helps to make the play because Arsenal are not strong enough to afford passengers or luxury items in the build up. Balogun and Laca both fit the bill but I think Pepe could too.
 

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