Micah Richards has become the latest pundit to suggest that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has lost his explosiveness as he finishes the first year of his new Emirates deal.
The Gabonese striker made a name for himself at Borussia Dortmund as one of the most explosive strikers in Europe.
He also showed how fast he can be in his first few seasons at Arsenal as he combined his speed with a killer instinct to score goals with reckless abandon for the Gunners.
He has scored 22 league goals in each of his last two seasons, but it doesn’t seem like he will get anywhere near that figure in this campaign.
After netting a maiden Premier League hat-trick in Arsenal’s 4-2 win over Leeds United, he fired blanks against Manchester City in a game that Arsenal needed to win.
Richards was on punditry duty on Sky Sports and said the striker was no longer the fast forward who joined the Gunners suggesting that he is no longer as fast as he was three years ago.
“Aubameyang is the wrong side now,” the former City defender said as quoted by HITC.
“He had a moment when he tried to run past Stones and he didn’t have the pace that he had from two or three years ago.”
I think he deeply regrets staying at a club he knows he won’t win a significant trophy with.
Remember his interview after signing da ting? It was Auba who said he decided to stay at Arsenal to become the club legend rather than to WIN TROPHIES elsewhere.
The man is a footballer, a fantastic one. And nothing hurts more knowing you won’t be remembered for winning trophies.
Also, he won’t become an Arsenal legend with this form. So it’s a lose lose situation for him. He shouldn’t have signed it and he knows it.
Having said that, I hope he sends a transfer request and leaves in the summer to win big things. Mostly every ex-Arsenal footballer did and never looked back.
I just don’t see what top club would want him after this season.