Arsenal: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang saying what Ivan Gazidis thinks

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has stated that Arsenal stagnated in the past few years. It may be harsh on Arsene Wenger and it may not be what Ivan Gazidis is wanting to say, but it is what he thinks.

Whenever a new era comes to pass at an organisation, there is always something said about the previous era. Even when such an era was a historically successful one for that organisation, change indicates that something wasn’t working. At Arsenal, it was, according to the change, Arsene Wenger.

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David Ornstein, in Unai Emery’s introductory press conference on Wednesday afternoon, pushed Ivan Gazidis on whether Emery would be ‘harder’ or just ‘hard’ on the players. Gazidis assured him it was the latter, aware that of the distaste that it leaves on the Wenger regime.

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But let’s be honest, the former is more accurate. That is what Gazidis wants from Emery, even if he is not willing to say it publicly because of the criticism it implies of Wenger. However, that does not mean that others are so politically polite in their media commitments.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, when asked about his feelings in joining up with new manager Emery, had this to say:

"“I think it’s a little bit of a mixed feeling in fact. On one hand, it’s strange for all the fans that the coach has left. But it’s definitely a fresh start. Since over the last few seasons – you have to tell the truth – the club has stagnated a little bit, I think everyone is actually a little bit excited to see what happens next season. It is strange that the coach has left after 22 years. But that’s life – we have to look forward.”"

Aubameyang obviously has far less assimilation with Wenger than Gazidis or many of his teammates. He was a Sven Mislintat signing, to all intents and purposes, and spent just over four months with a manager who had been at the club for more than two decades. He is hardly the most noteworthy of the Wenger players.

And that distance allows the striker to be that bit more objective and accurate in his assessment of the state of the squad. Becuase it’s true. As Aubameyang rightly highlights, Arsenal have stagnated in recent years and they are in need of a new lease of life, one that Gazidis hopes Emery can bring.

There are many players who have grown comfortable in their standing in the squad, not pushed by inner-competition or by Wenger, not challenged by one another, not demanded of by the system or the winning culture at the club. This is the stagnation that Aubameyang is referring to.

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And what Aubameyang is saying with his words, Gazidis has said with his actions. He may not be willing to be drawn by Ornstein to state in such stark and plain terms, but Gazidis believes, like Aubameyang, that this club has stagnated. His decisions have dictated as much. He must now live with that choice.