Arsenal: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang can’t compliment what isn’t there

Arsenal have two world class strikers that work so well together, but they can’t work together if they aren’t together, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang especially.

Arsenal are still in an experimental phase, and as such, I say all the things I’m about to say with a bit held back, as I understand that Unai Emery is still feeling his way around how he wants to build the club. That said, for the love of everything, build it around Alexandre Lacazette!

Unai Emery benched Alexandre Lacazette yet again against Tottenham, and yet again, when he was introduced in the second half, it was clear that he should have been out there all along, mainly in the way it perked up his striking mate, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

When Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang first arrived, we all knew that he wasn’t here to replace Alexandre Lacazette. The Frenchman has only just arrived and there was plenty of believe still in him.

No, Aubameyang was here to augment the Frenchman, to compliment him and give the club something they hadn’t had in years – an actual pair of strikers capable of dismantling even the best defense. It was all set up so perfectly.

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It got even more perfect when their bromance kicked off and they proved to be not just gelling on the pitch, but off it too. They were always seen together, laughing, smiling, like pals do. And on the pitch, it replicated, they were two peas in a pod, better with each other, a fragment of themselves without.

All things considered, Alexandre Lacazette is the better standalone striker. He is someone that can be targeted, that can be picked out, that digs himself into a defense and handles the ball well whereas Aubameyang is a space merchant, finding room to roam and then roaming, but needing significantly more service than his French counterpart.

Hence why Aubameyang is here to compliment him, not replace him. But it’s hard to compliment what isn’t there, and more times than not, Aubameyang doesn’t have Lacazette on the pitch with him. he is isolated, alone, and not as good as he can be.

Because, again, both of these guys are better with the other next to them. It’s clear as day. The way they do their clever little flick-ons, the greater freedom they have to move as they please, it’s just a much, much better set-up with the two together.

Particularly for Aubameyang, who has so much more room when Lacazette is dug into the defense, occupying their space.