Arsenal: Suddenly, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang doesn’t even matter

Arsenal nation was in a state of collective awe when they nabbed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but we’ve now come to a place where he doesn’t even matter.

Without a doubt the biggest signing in Arsenal history – Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Statistically one of, if not the best strikers in all of Europe. He’s been attracting attention from all the top clubs, Real Madrid, Barcelona and the like.

And the Gunners got him for a rate damn near half what it was going to cost in the summer. It was a miracle akin to Moses parting the Red Sea and escaping the Pharaoh.

Yet, right now, I could care less about Aubameyang because, frankly, he doesn’t even matter. It sounds batty, but if you look at where this club is and even where they are going, in the present day and for the rest of the season, Aubameyang has nothing to do except gallivant in meaningless games and try to score goals.

Related Story: 5 Things Learned Against AC Milan

Think about it. We brought him in to charge into the top four. That isn’t happening. It’s not happening because the club didn’t understand how to use Aubameyang. Their issues went deeper than striker, both in the formation and in the soul.

Check out the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal Podcast here!

Without the right service, they had nothing to give Aubameyang and he was frequently at the whims of whichever Arsenal decided to show up.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win

So Arsenal go to AC Milan, where Aubameyang is cup-tied, and they play one of their best matches of the season. A complete and utter team victory. And they did it all without a striker.

Aubameyang is only going to play in a moot Premier League for the rest of the year, making him morph from a ‘big signing’ into a big ‘so what?’

The Europa League is all that matters at this point, which is why it is so “Arsenal” that they will have to do it with all the same guys they’ve already had, with the obvious addition of Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

What does this mean long-term though?

Well, that’s where the good news kicks in. Because, as Aubameyang has nothing to play for, he should benefit immensely from the lifted pressure. He can essentially acclimate at his own pace for the next three months, because he can’t change anything.

This may also mean looser play from his teammates (in a good way) which could introduce some fluidity into an often stiff and stale attack. Ideally, that will mean that, in time, the Gunners will recognize how well this loose style works and gear themselves towards it.

Next: 3 Players Who Turned The Tide Against AC Milan

I actually find it quite funny that Aubameyang doesn’t matter. It’s just like this club to make such a big signing and he turns inconsequential in the span of a few weeks. Still though, in all seriousness, this may work out rather well in the long run.