Arsenal: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang shows that patience is pivotal

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang showcased exactly what he is about in Arsenal’s win over Watford on Sunday, proving that patience with a new signing is pivotal.

The adaptation process of a new signing is something that is always a little precarious. Jose Mourinho, for example, when he splashed an astonishing £90 million on Paul Pogba, started him for the full 90 minutes as soon as he returned from his European Championship commitments. Arsene Wenger, contrastingly, often takes a far more hesitant approach with his new Arsenal signings, especially those that have no prior experience of English football.

Catch the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal podcast right here

It is this strange early quasi-introduction period that makes January additions so strange. Should there be patience for a player who may be required to make an instant impact with only a few months remaining in the season?

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

It is not an easy question to answer. Certainly, the premonition of waiting for a player to settle should not be exclusive to those signed in the summer. But then there is the expectation, the needs of the club to also be satisfied. It is in this balance that club-record addition Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang plies his newly-acquired trade, and he has had much to say about how he is growing into his new surroundings:

"“I can’t play every three days. When I was in Dortmund, I was playing every three days but now I play once a week or have a long time between games. It is not easy. It was a bit difficult at the beginning [of my Arsenal career] but I am feeling better. I didn’t play a lot in January so it was difficult to find the rhythm. Now I am feeling better. I work hard, I work a lot in the last weeks and I am happy because I feel better.”"

Certainly, his performance against Watford on Sunday proved the growing acclimatisation with his new teammates. The connection with Henrikh Mkhitaryan, which was groomed during their days at Borussia Dortmund, was again present, with the duo assisting one another for their respective goals, while he showed a greater understanding with Mesut Ozil, the German sliding his strike partner in behind the Watford defence with a wonderfully measured through pass in the first couple of minutes.

It is in these moments that show the growing shared complementary play between Aubameyang and his suppliers behind him. For a player of his style and approach — peripheral touches; intelligent, sharp, pacy movement — he requires those creative midfielders in behind him to provide those passes which he can latch onto. Both such passes were provided with his best two chances of the game, the goal and the aforementioned one-on-one in the opening few minutes.

Next: Arsenal Vs Watford: 5 things we learned

It will take time for Aubameyang and his Arsenal teammates to truly flourish. Patience, then, is required, something that Wenger is always willing to provide. Will the fans and the media follow in line?