Gabriele Marcotti reckons it is the way that Aubameyang plays that puts clubs off
Football expert, Gabriele Marcotti claims that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s playing style is one of the major reasons he didn’t leave Borussia Dortmund for other teams before he moved to Arsenal.
Marcotti claimed that the attacker’s playing style had been putting off his suitors when he was in Germany and that most teams never believed that he would thrive in their system.
He is very much a player who loves to run to the ball and also to play with his face to goal, however, the Italian pundit claims that most teams thought he could only thrive in the system that Borussia Dortmund had set up their team with.
Aubameyang is currently attracting the attention of some of Europe’s best clubs, but it is unclear if he will be leaving or remaining at the Emirates.
Barcelona and Inter Milan have been linked with a move for him, but Marcotti reckons that Barcelona would not make the move for Aubameyang if Quique Setien remains their manager because of his playing style.
Appearing on ESPN FC on Wednesday night as quoted by the Express, Marcotti was asked by presenter Dan Thomas: “The big clubs were interested [when Aubameyang was at Dortmund] but they had their doubts.
“What was about him in particular that made them not pull the trigger?”
“I think there was a sense that he thrived in a team like Borussia Dortmund, given the way that they played,” Marcotti replied.
“I think there was a sense that he was very much a front-to-goal type player.
“He’s somebody who really benefits when he has space in front of him.
“As long as Quique Setien is the manager, that is not going to happen at Barcelona.
“And also it was a lot of money and this is still a lot of money.
“I think we get desensitised over how much £80m or £100m or £150m really is.”
I’m probably one of the few who don’t rate Auba as a world beater. Perhaps one of you stats guys can prove me wrong, and that’s fine, but I rate several strikers higher.
For instance, at the risk of dismaying Sue, 3 of them played for Liverpool – Fowler, Dalglish and Rush.
However my idea of the most incisive striker ever was without doubt Jimmy Greaves who played for our old enemies Spurs and Chelsea. Jimmy could shoot hard and accurately or simply place the ball into a corner as circumstances dictated. Again, I don’t know the stats, but it always seemed to me that if he had a clear chance he invariably put it away, unlike Auba.
Wouldn’t mind seeing the stats of the above, particularly Auba and Jimmy, compared if anyone wants to go to the trouble.
😱 hahahaha!!
Looks like you saw this at the crack of dawn Sue – hope it didn’t spoil your whole day! For some reason those players were the first to come to my tiny mind and I didn’t want to give a long list of others I admired, including Arsenal players of course.
Glad you saw the funny side. All the best.
No, just the first hour haha!! All the best to you too!
Gunner Jack?? Really ?? I dont think you are a Gunner at all mate. If you were you would have said Joe Baker, John Radfor, Thierry Henry etc etc. I am a true Gunner of 71 years and have seen them all. The Liverpool three were brilliant but no better that thye AFC three just different,
Gunner Jack, for once, I do not take great issue with your words. I also rated all the strikers you mention as firmly among the greats.
But you need to bear in mind that when the great Greaves played, football was completely different and it was common for clubs to concede 65-90 goals a season. In the early 60’s, possibly 1963-4, from memory, Arsenal scored 90 league goals and conceded 84, admittedly from 42 games and that was not out of line with other teams too. THAT BEING SAID, GREAVES WAS UNDOUBTEDLY A GREAT. HOW MANY MORE WOULD AUBA HAVE SCORED BACK THEN THOUGH!
Back then I used to watch Spuds when Arsenal were away so saw them as well as us regularly. I would also wear my red and white scarf at WHL when Spuds played such as United or Liverpool to show that I NEVER supported Spuds. In fact I have always preferred my spuds mashed or roasted !
Interesting comment about Auba playing back then Jon. As we know one of his greatest assets is his speed and when watching videos of ‘back then’ the first thing I notice is that it was definitely slower.
With Jimmy it seemed to more about instant ball control, fast thinking and guile. I don’t think he was ever a speedster. So yes, I reckon it would have been very close between them.
Jimmy’s fast thinking was always on display in the Saint & Greavsie show. One that’s stuck in my mind ever since I saw it was when they were chatting about the disqualification of Ben Johnson, the Canadian sprinter, and halfway through Jimmy piped up with “You know, I had my doubts about that guy as soon as I saw him fly into the airport – about 20 minutes before the plane arrived!”
Auba doesn’t need many chances to score a goal. He’s got the pace. So what more do you need from a striker?
Accuracy and quick thinking will do to begin with Top Gunner.
Although not really a stats man, as I think they can be manipulated, I did actually go to Wikipedia on this occasion to see what they had on Auba and Jimmy.
I know there are proper stats sites but thought this would do to get a rough comparison to start with.
Here’s what I found.
League totals:
Auba, played 372 – goals 196 (so far of course)
Jimmy, played 528 – goals 366
Grand totals (all games):
Auba, played 492 – goals 257 (so far)
Jimmy, played 602 – goals 422
Both set of stats are good but as you can see Jimmy’s are better, even without making use of a calculator.
Jimmy’s quick thinking enabled him to quickly size up the situation, decide the best way to make the net bulge and then put the ball away. Brilliant!
But do you not clearly see that you are not comparing TRUE like with like? My post above this goes into more detail and shows the inaccuracy of comparing strikerS who played in the 1950/60′ to todays era. Stats alone without a host of other important factors also being used are simplistic. I say this as a successful pro gambler for several decades who DOES take note of stats but does not over rely on them, MANY OTHER FACTORS APPLY EQUALLY BUT SOME FOLK WHO RELY PURELY IN STATS ARE BEING CHILDISHLY SIMPLISTIC.
The thing is Auba is a striker, almost a 1 dimensional striker, other players upfront have more to their game. The line about Auba needing space is partly why he is played on the left so he isn’t picked up as tightly.
But for having someone upfront to score goals at the moment I wouldn’t want anyone else.
Auba is definitely top class
I think he is wasted as a winger.
He should take up a roll like King Henry used to take up
By starting playing on the rb and moving centrally.
Just like the way Andrea arshavin was been wasted on d wings too
Marcotti just making up stories.
Did the clubs and coaches tell him these themselves?
Is Barca and Inter now interested because he changed his style of play?
In one breath it is the style of play and in another, it is a lot of money. So which is which?
“People really like to talk”