‘Hasn’t been himself’ – Petit snides at Aubameyang departure

Emmanuel Petit has claimed that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hasn’t been motivated to bring his best for Arsenal prior to sealing his move to Barcelona.

The Gunners forward was ultimately dropped from the playing squad during December and stripped of the club captaincy after a fallout with Mikel Arteta, and hasn’t featured in a competitive match since.

After being left at home whilst the senior squad departed for Dubai for a training camp shortly after Auba returned to north London from the AFCON, an exit did appear to be on the cards, but it took until the final hours of the transfer window before a deal was struck.

That deal isn’t believed to include any transfer fee however, with Arsenal seemingly happy to shift his monster wages from their budget for the next 18 months, and Petit agrees that the right decision was made to let him go.

‘Mikel Arteta did exactly what everyone expected with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang,’ Petit told Gambling.com(via the Metro).

‘I don’t want to show disrespect for Aubameyang, because I believe he is a great player. But, for the last few months he hasn’t been himself.

‘Something has changed in his mind. I don’t know if it’s related to the club, the manager or the way he is living in his private life. But we were not seeing the same Aubameyang that we saw a couple of years ago.

‘I believe Arteta made the right decision on Aubameyang and he made his mark in the dressing room with the choice he made.

‘To leave your captain out of a game and then put him on the transfer market is a very strong message to your dressing room.’

Pete then went onto state that Auba’s role in the team and his behaviour at the club were not well matched, adding: ‘As the top earner at the club, like Aubameyang was, you have a reasonability to your team-mates and you need to show that on the pitch.

‘Aubameyang needs to understand that you have to show a high level week-after-week and the fact he signed a new contract for big, big money may not be related to his current issue, but I will say the coincidence is huge.

‘Straight after he signed that contact, he wasn’t the same player anymore.

‘It wouldn’t have mattered if his future was with Arsenal or somewhere else, he needs to understand he has to go back to the player he was, with the same motivation and mentality that he had. Money is huge, but he has to get his anger back!’

It is hard to disagree with any of Petit’s comments, and I don’t think many Arsenal fans are actually sad to see Auba go. What is being felt is that we let ourselves down in the window by not bringing in a replacement however, and the feeling is that his departure could hurt our push for a possible top four finish.

Patrick

Tags Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

13 Comments

  1. A club works so hard and spend millions and millions to get one world class player, then suddenly that player has rift with the manager and then he is gone. With him all the hard work that club did also gone, millions spent also gone, just in vain. And here we Arsenal fan celebrate like we achieved something big. Wow. It’s easy to say Auba, pepe, ozil potentially world class player didn’t played upto their standard so we better let them go but where’s the answer that why can’t we get best out of these expensive buys, why can’t we motivate them to give their best? Why can’t we make a system that suits their playing style. It’s really question to be answered that none of our most expensive signings like pepe, Auba, laca, xhaka, mustafi, ozil, etx live upto their potential. So there must be serious problem with the club recruitment system or problem with handling of these players. Imagine tomorrow Saka and Martinelly also having rift with manager and being exiled and replaced by some academy graduates with potential. And the cycles goes on and on.

    1. Did Spurs not nurture Dele Alli? He went off the boil. All over the league there will be clubs and players in a situation similar to us with players losing their form or new managers wanting something different from them. It’s not unique to Arsenal. Look how Joe Hart’s career went down the toilet after getting Pep’s elbow but it’s easy to forget when it’s not our club doing it.

      I was happy that Auba stayed but appalled at his contract in terms of length and remuneration. Why pay a kings ransom for somebody in the twilight of their journey? He lost something after that and his post match interviews on occasions were not what I’d have expected from our club captain.

      I’d suggest that ESR and Saka are different personalities. They will thrive. I expect that Tomi, Martinelli are the same and will get support from Arteta.

      1. Not trying to patronize you Sue, but on this platform, you seem to be the only one who’s got a brain that works. I am sorry if others feel offended, but it’s so appalling how they do not even have what they stand for.

        Today it’s how Arteta keeps playing Auba and depriving Martinelli the chance to blossom. Tomorrow it’s how Arteta has failed to play a style that fits Auba. Next tomorrow, it’s how Barca wanted Auba and Arteta refused to sell him, when that would have meant us saving good money. The day after, it’s how Arteta allowed Auba go, even when he has been the best thing to have happened to football. Then the next day, it’s how Arteta kept taking shit from Auba. And then the next would be, how Arteta’s pride couldn’t let him handle Auba. The list is endless.

        Whatever Arteta does will NEVER be satisfying to the majority of fans on this platform. There’s this deep hate for Arteta and it’s got nothing to do with his tactics, our losses or wins.

        1. There is a deep hate for Arteta,that’s got nothing to do with tactics or losses .
          So if it’s Not for the reasons above Alan what is it ,please enlighten me .

          My personal feelings towards Arteta as everything to do with what you have mentioned ,negative mind blowing boring football and league positions and finishes are my reasons .
          But I would like to know what other reasons you suggested would be for wanting Arteta gone .

          1. Dont be so ridiculous ,my opinion of Arteta as absolutely nothing to do with Ozil whatsoever,its because I do not think he is upto the task which is pretty evident from the football being played and previous league positions and this seasons league standing so far .
            I backed Arteta in his first year when many didn’t so leave the hate word away from any of my comments .
            Let’s hope Mark version 3.0 will be better than the 2 previous because you give absolutely nothing to the conversation except from sounding like a snivelling little child .

            1. It seems to me mark 44.0 its you that as a problem with Ozil .
              Like I said I backed Arteta until it was obvious that he wasn’t upto the job ,but your deep rooted knowledge of my comments will obviously tell you otherwise.
              Now get back to you’re 1 sentence comments I’m sure all the other readers on here await your wisdom on all Arsenal related news .

        2. I have to disagree with you to an extent. There are several people who post similar perspectives to Sue’s from time to time on this site.
          However, these views are usually drowned out by the anti-Arteta brigade.
          I have recently seen that there is a bit of a backlash against this cynical cohort as other fans are getting increasingly exasperated by the persistent pernicious negativity.

  2. Now that we have heard it from a real man’s mouth, a real footballer of his day, his opinions matter. Hope Mikel’s bashers swallow up their false pride and ego and admit Mikel did the right thing. Not getting your no 1 target and keeping your head high & cool, without going into panic mode and buying some outcast, some useless dud on loan or high fees/wages has to be appreciated by the faithful. Well done Mikel. He has set the benchmark for the club so in future no club//agent can bully us. Unlike other regimes who gave into mediocrity and dubious agents,

    1. so you’re willing to accept any negative comments that have or will come from Petit’s mouth regarding Arteta or are you simply going to cherry-pick whatever statements work best for you at any given moment??? much like your managerial messiah, you’re constantly getting burned by self-inflicted wounds

  3. Who would believe that cazorla,Ramsey, Sanchez, Ozil, Aubamayang all passed through this club and by some miracle all left for nothing.

    Offer’s had come in for Nkettiah and Niles but somehow we are working hard to allow them leave for nothing
    What are they smoking at the Emirates?

    1. Mustafi, Kolasinac, Luiz, Mhiktiryan, Wilshere, Laca, Nketiah and the list goes on and will go on. Next may Guendouzi, Saliba, Leno, Elhneny etc. We are expert at hitting axe on our own leg.

  4. I don’t think anyone hates Arteta…we see his mistakes and know his weakness……not good at man management….cannot change tactics while the game is on etc…..don’t think any club will allow a rookie manager to take a project to rebuild a team…….just feel there are better managers out there……..

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