Arsenal: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang warning clear now

Arsenal should never be concerned about Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but there is one warning that stuck in my head that is showing clearly.

Arsenal‘s signing of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was something of a mystery, simply because it was so hard to believe that it actually happened. Here was a universally recognized player with universally recognized skill and the Gunners had gotten him seemingly without contest.

It was so unbelievable that I immediately texted a close friend who is crazy about Borussia Dortmund and asked him if there was anything I should know about Aubameyang that I didn’t already. I had seen him play, everyone had, but not as often as my friend had.

He told me that we had nothing to worry about, as long as Aubameyang got plenty of chances. At the time, I brushed this off as his way of not being fully over the move itself and needing to toss in a word of warning, but now, I’m seeing it more and more.

Aubameyang is not a driver. He is a passenger. And that’s not a criticism of him, it’s just his style of play. If he is not being pushed into a game, or being given chances, he isn’t going to be a big part of proceedings.

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When Aubameyang is at his best is, as advertised, when he is getting then ball a lot, and in dangerous areas. He isn’t a dribbler, he isn’t physical, he needs space, or he needs to get the ball where he can immediately do something with it.

In all of the sub-par matches that Aubameyang has had, there has been one theme – it’s as if he wasn’t even there. He may trickle a chance or two, but overall, he might as well have not even been there.

That’s a byproduct of being used on the wings, and a byproduct of matches where the game is almost entirely played in the opposition half, without any room to maneuver.

And again, I hear the warning – he needs a lot of chances in order to take his chances.

Is this anything to worry about? No. This attack is superb, they will get him his chances and when they don’t, well, there are other weapons on hand to help with that.

In the meantime, it is crucial to get him then ball in space or close to goal, with room to do something with, because if no, he might as well not even be there.