While Aubameyang was ultimately blamed for losing his role as Arsenal captain and first-team star, I can’t help but believe Mikel Arteta is likely at fault almost as equally. Guest post by Sarah Rohan
Both the player and Manager were the problem in my opinion. While we do not know all the facts. Auba clearly had disciplinary issues, and not for the first time in his career. Maybe what he used to get away with under our previous managers wouldn’t stick with Arteta. How did such a good relationship turn so toxic between them? It’s got to be more than a couple of late appearances at training that’s caused the problem. Did Pierre get too big for his boots and Mikel brought him down a peg or two?
The Spaniard does have a tendency to fall out with players also. I don’t think I know of many managers like him to be honest. He’s definitely brought in a strict policy. I agree he needs respect and discipline from players but he can act like a field marshal from the army. His way or the high way comes to mind. Was it not possible to just bench these other players and bring them back in gradually? Instead he completely ousts them with no way back. That seems a tad drastic.
I will however have faith in the manager and his plans for our team and the future with our youngsters is bright. We’ve been stuck with a mediocre group of players in the past, and now he’s had a mass clear out with just his select few left to finish out the season. I’m hoping there’s method to his madness.
After reading some of his quotes I can see he has a ruthless streak which he has brought into his management style.
When he first joined the club, he told Arsenal Media: “What I have learned, you have to be ruthless. I have so much respect for this football club, that if I didn’t feel ready I wouldn’t be sitting in the chair. The first thing I have to do is change the energy, the players have to accept a different process, a different way of thinking. If we don’t have the right culture the tree is going to shake” Well it certainly did!
I wish the summersaulting Gabonese star all the best with Barcelona, said with gritted teeth. Hope you don’t do too well though! Yes I am bitter about it because I did hope he would be back in the team eventually and that peace would be made but it wasn’t meant to be. Now he’s now out of the picture which is probably best for the team’s sake going forward. Hopefully no more disruptions.
Will it be fate we end up meeting him in Europe next term?! That would be so typical!
Until next time Gooners. COYG!
You have a player coming from a club, where he was often reported of being late etc. and then you bring that player here.
Didn’t it ring the alarm bells at Arsenal that when you bring in a 28-year old man with a recent history of mischievous behavior that he would likely to continue his ways?
I am 100% certain that he displayed these kinds of incidents before signing that new contract. Difference was that he was playing really well at the time.
To make it worse, they actually made him captain! So first you make him captain, then you give him a ridiculous contract extension despite him already being +30 years old. And ALL this was done while he had already showed the club that he has not learned discipline and was still breaking the club rules.
I refuse to believe that Auba acted like Mother Theresa before his new contract. It just seems like his misdemeanor was ignored while he was scoring goals.
Who hired him and who had to pay the price for that costly mistake? I thank Ivan for putting that man out of his misery and our misery. While he made his money on obnoxious wages, he drained the club’s resources with such players. Hence the guilt stops him from returning. Sir Alex was a different case, a thorough professional in thought, word and deed, hence he is always welcome at OT.
pfft what a load bs.
Everyone wanted Auba and was happy to have him come.
funny how there was only a fall out with Arteta.
Simple,punished for underperformance. Not for overstaying with his sick mother. Let’s say the truth and shame the devil.
I wish him well at Barca. He has to do well. His punishment at Arsenal was way up disproportional with the alleged disciplinary breach. Arteta just wanted performers to help,justifiably,keep his job.
It wasn’t just one breech of the club rules @Ikeoha. There were a few, turning up for training, late for a match against the vermin, and as you mentioned, returning late from seeing his mum.
If Arteta didn’t discipline him imagine what sort of signal that would’ve sent out to the rest of the squad, especially the younger players.
When the club bought 6 young players in the summer the writing was on the wall for older players. Aubameyang was the oldest and the highest paid so he was the most vulnerable from the off. After the club went 0-3 Arteta read the riot act. Arteta’s job was totally on the line and he chose to swing the axe and he swung it hard and he swung it often. Leno Cedric Chambers Mari Tavares Elneny Niles Lokonga Pepe Nketiah Martinelli were all benched. Everyone knew exactly what the Managers attitude was after that. Through injury Tavares Lokonga and Martinelli were reincorporated. Everyone else was frozen out. Then Auba lost form but Arteta kept the faith and continued to start him. But after losses to Man U and Everton he was benched. Then Arteta stripped Auba of the Captaincy. For what exactly we don’t know but we believe a number of matters finally added up. Then a terrible January meant it was easy for Arteta to ease Aubameyang out. Aubameyang for his part was only to pleased to go. A new start at the club he wanted to go to when Arsenal bought him and a nice 7m farewell present. The message was clear 5 months ago after the 0-3. Chambers has gone Mari and Niles are on loan soon to be let go. Leno will go in the summer as will Lacazette Nketiah Cedric Elneny. None so blind as those who will not see.
Is that a shaggy dog story?
What a story
How can one someone take his time to write this story is mind blowing
It’s easy for him @Pepe, he’s puffing the magic dragon 🐉
Hi, in order to manage a group, you need to be harsh at times. When, you manage a young sporting group, you must be harsh on the older/experience group all the time, as you don’t want the tomorrow players follow the example of the older ones when the older ones are gone. So sad to say, Aubu was or is a good, very good player, however I think his goodness went to his head. Enough said, now for Wolves with a fully discipline side, except for xhaka.
Not really. Other clubs (or rather, other managers) do not publicly try to shame their players they no longer want/need to force them to go on a free. Instead, they keep things quite, give the said players some game time, then try to get the maximum for them in the transfer market.
In the case of Arteta’s latest victim, nothing has changed except a drop in form since the big contract that Arteta helped to draw up. Get rid of the player by all means, but do not wash dirty laundry in public by freezing out the player in such a high profiled manner. Give the guy one or two games in late December after dropping him for the alleged discipline breach, then sell him on in the transfer window. I can see Newcastle paying at least 20 mil for him if it wasn’t so obvious that we were willing to pay to get rid of him.
The manager, as far as I can see, is on a massive ego trip at the expense of both Arsenal’s finances and league position.
On point
That;s telling it like it is, @Nick.
Based on the reports, we could blame both of them. But let’s just focus on our current problems
We obviously have a big problem in the CF position, yet Arsenal decided not to sign one. I assume they don’t take our top four chance seriously and the club aren’t willing to give Arteta/ Edu more funds until they can show a progress by the end of this season
Gotanide, I think Arteta didn’t press enough for a CF because in the absence of Auba they managed to score some goals. May be he also has other ideas.; we”ll know in their next game against Whoves. For the board, I agree with you they seem not to be willing to release further funds this season. And who can fault them? they need to see where Arsenal ends this season. A new CF if he is not EPL player would need time to adapt. It’s just better to wait till next season when there will more available players. With the Player Arsenal has top4 or 6 shouldn’t be impossible. If not, the coach-Arteta should move on..
We should’ve at least loaned a CF, since Lacazette and Nketiah must’ve been distracted by their suitors
I don’t think most of our players are good enough to clinch the top four finish. Look at Ancelotti, who was a total flop at Everton yet he’s currently thriving with Madrid’s skillful players
@GAI, Honestly I agree with you about the CF position.
This season, we have a chance of making top4 if we had brought in a top striker. Even a loan deal for any one of Haler/Jovetic/Emmanuel Denis would have made sense.
For now, My ideal option
1. Martinelli as a CF and Lacazette playing behind him in a 4411 formation
2. Pepe playing behind Lacazette in a 4411 formation
We need to score more goals.
Pepe should be brought back to the squad and Arteta should demand more from him.
Pepe has to deliver now.
Top4 finish is a must this season.
Unfortunately, we have to rely on Lacazette. Hopefully he still works his socks off till the end of this season
Arteta did what others couldn’t do. When the previous coach had similar problem with Ozil and kept him out for sometime Arsenal fans were quick to request his return.
Now during his time as interim coach Freddie Lungberg said he had similar problems with the senior players and never though Arteta could cope with it. Due to these reasons, i am of the conviction that this has been an old age culture at Arsenal which Arteta is trying to clear out but a lot of pundits are having their own personal views.
How many more bloody articles are you going to publish about Aubamayang. Its endless. Move on for crying out loud
Did you read the headline? So why read it? And why comment?
Aubameyang certainly posed discipline problems. Trouble is Arteta has a proven problem with man management too…Ozil, Auba, Guendouzi, Torreira, Saliba….etc. That makes it hard for some players to give 100. Arteta has some inner dark projections on players he cannot relate to, and he seems to hold long term grudges. Getting the players to be a group and play as one, is not Arteta’s forte. We are a long way into his reign and still have all the problems in the world. If he can’t wisely relate to his players he can never win them totally round to be a group, who goes out every week, with the consistency and the togetherness, to win. His emotions and grudge holding betray him.
That seems to be a very good assesment of the situation.
He doesn’t try to, he has a different management style then we’re used too.
Instead of trying to please everyone he sets boundaries and pressures the players into performing, gives the responsibility to the players. Every player now knows if you cross the line you are a goner, doesn’t matter who you are.
So a team of robots that dare not question Arteta with fear of being told to sling you’re hook .
Sounds like a dictatorship to me and we all know how they usually turn out .
Ah, show time on Just Arsenal. The usual disciples are lining up to slam a player now out of favour with their saviour. Talk about blind faith. I definitely was not esctatic when Arsenal signed Aubamayang, believing that he was already starting to get on in years and would not provide too much value in the long run. The summer he signed for Arsenal he was posting self made videos in very good Italian on Italian TV pleading with AC Milan to come and get him. Didn’t say much for his loyalty, did it? However at Arsenal he repaid his fee, winning us the FA. Cup and keeping us in the Top Eight. No other Arsenal player even came close to his contribution. Yes, by the end of last year he looked like a spent force, but why aren’t more of you questioning Arteta’s contribution to that, playing a style of brain dead football which nullifies creativity, as well as loading the team with one dimensional players whose main concern is to keep the score resectable.
Aubamayang joined Arsenal mid season, he was posting his videos during the off season.while he was still a Dortmund player. Not a good look but he was originally an AC Milan cast off, so probably wanted another opportunity to prove himself.
OT:Overmax has had to “step down”from his DOF at Ajax for improper conduct,sending inappropriate text messages to female employees over several years,I wonder if Arsenal would still employ him now.
As far as i am concerned, the manager has no blame in this. You say there are not many managers that fall out with players like Arteta does, let me refresh your memory. Remember Guardiolas first stint as Barca manager? Remember what he did to Ronaldinho and Eto’o? Henry? Ibrahimovic? These are players with a far bigger profile than Auba. Mourinho? SAF? There will always be players that challenge your authority and that needs to be dealt with swiftly else you risk losing the respect of the dressing room.
Also, Arteta did give Auba lots of chances at redemption. Remember the NLD? He was dropped because he came late. But was still re-integrated into the team.
Arteta has done the right thing. Any other way would have been completely wrong, given the recent history of player indiscipline at Arsenal.
Let’s be realistic here. I love the player but since he singed a thing he didn’t perform compared to wages. We know Arteta is building a new team and doesn’t spare anyone. Doesn’t matter if your Auba or cost 80 million and I love it.
True, I’m no Arteta fanboy but Auba wasn’t paying well for a while. We know the future is Saka, ESR, Martinelli etc and they need a CF who can hold up the ball. Or if he’s playing LWF he needed to do his defensive duties. Neither defending or holding up/pressing from the front is Auba’s forte.
Huge wages, not down with the game plan, it made sense to get him a new club.
He may not be remembered as a legend, but he will be fondly remembered. No hard feelings to Arteta or Edu over the decision either.
#COYG
Arteta reminds of George Graham with his disciplinary methods. My way or the highway. It worked well for George, as his record of 6 trophies in 8 years shows.
Well said
Seems to always be a fallout with a player at one time or another.
Once or twice I’d say the player is at fault. However, it’s multiple players and multiple fallouts every year Arteta has been in charge.
Arteta certainly not solely at fault, but certainly bares some blame. It has happened too often for him to avoid any blame.
He’s the manager, so he decides the team he is in charge of leading. He should also bear the responsibility and accountability at the end of the season.
Exactly
Auba is responsible for his problems, he is not a victim of circumstances.
I don’t ever recall Arteta being unruly as a player and for that reason he feels like all players should know their place and respect the club that pays their wages.
He is the manager, it’s his team within the club he works for. If he doesn’t manage it his way then there is no point being involved, live by the sword, die by the sword. UCL or UEL qualification will determine his future. Failure should surely see him leave this summer
Auba has.moved on.Why can his traducers also move on?
… can’t…
In life, we need to understand one thing about leadership, be it sports, family or politics: Do what is necessary for the greater good! Be courageous to take a bold step & don’t expect love from all! Some will approve, some will not. There’s no successful football manager, who doesn’t have one or two haters among the players or fans. Humans can never be pleased! Just keep your eyes on the prize and move! Try your best while you can and let posterity be the judge! You might even be surprised, that those who hate you now, maybe out of ignorance, may end up being your greatest admirer after they must have gone through some eye opening encounter. That’s leadership! It’s not easy & it’ll never be! Love to all gunners! We’re the most loyal fans in football! Better days ahead!!