Arsenal: Periphery Pierre can be the pinnacle

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will often be on the periphery of matches. But such is his style, the Arsenal striker can still be the pinnacle of team, even with such limited touches.

Arsenal have a new centre-forward. Even after signing Alexandre Lacazette for a club-record fee in the summer, in losing Alexis Sanchez to Manchester United earlier in the window, Arsene Wenger saw it fit to add another striker to the mix. And what a striker he has added.

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In only one game, the 5-1 dismantling of Everton on Saturday evening, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang showed exactly what he is all about. His speed on the counter-attack, his intelligence and awareness that results in acute, cohesive, timely movement. His ruthlessness in front of goal. They were all on ample display.

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However, there was one concerning stat that did surface after the match: he only had 25 touches of the ball. That is four more than Petr Cech, is less than Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, and is the same as Michael Keane, who was subbed off in a Sam Allardyce tactical re-shuffle at half-time. But Ian Wright is not worried at all. In fact, when speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s excellent Monday Night Club, Wright argued that that is the type of player that Aubameyang is, and that he would not want to see it any other way given the creative talents already in the team:

"“It’s been mentioned about Aubameyang not having enough touches in matches. He can get away with that. If he stays right at the top there and let him get on with it, then why do you want touches when you’ve got Ozil, Mkhitaryan and all those players? You can stay on the edge and not touch it. If Arsenal can play to his strengths, he’s that kind of player who could have four touches and score four goals.”"

And Wright is, well, right. Aubameyang is someone who can play on the peripheries of the game and still be the pinnacle of the attack. Very much like Wright himself or the man he has seemingly replaced in Lacazette, Aubameyang does not need regular touches of the ball. His intention is not to drop deep and receive passes to his feet; he wants to run the channels in behind the opposition, stretching the defence but often not being found by his teammates.

Given the players that Arsenal boast in midfield areas, that is certainly the type of centre-forward that is required. Wenger’s teams have always struggled when their attack becomes narrow, a little stagnant, predictable and compacted. Aubameyang does not want the ball in the areas that Mesut Ozil, Henrikh Mkhitaryan or Aaron Ramsey do. That is what makes him perfect for this team.

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It is the very fact that he will be on the periphery that constitutes this such a prosperous relationship. The combination of Aubameyang’s willingness to not touch the ball and stretch the pitch and Wenger’s complex, intricate but creative and precise passing game is a wonderful one. It will be exhilarating to watch for the rest of this season, that much is for sure.