Arsenal: Some things never change, like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Arsenal fans might have been worried about the state of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but lo and behold, some things never change, and he is one such thing.

God forbid a guy go one and a half matches and look slightly less than perfect. That’s where Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang found himself following the first leg against Rennes. After missing a penalty that would have seen Arsenal take three points from Spurs, Aubameyang went into that first leg and he flubbed.

It was pretty bad. You could tell his confidence was rattled after the missed penalty, but you might not have expected that confidence drought to carry over to the next match. And the next?

He wasn’t much better for long periods against Manchester United. It took Alexandre Lacazette handing him a penalty for him to get back into the swing of things, as in scoring goals. And even then, he didn’t seem his usual self, even if the relief was palpable.

This match, the second leg against Rennes, was a great chance for him to right the ship, especially knowing that a brand new mask celebration was waiting for us when that goal inevitably came.

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Aubameyang didn’t just score that goal, he scored a brace and nabbed an assist as well. He was his usual self, going back as long as his usual self was a thing, and that’s a long way back. And true to form, he showcased the Black Panther mask that had most people thrilled to bits, and the odd few oblivious.

Of course, there were several missed chances in there as well. Aubameyang, by all rights, should have scored four, if not more. He missed a couple sitters there at the end, denying both Alex Iwobi and Aaron Ramsey well-earned assists.

But that is AUbameyang in a nutshell. This entire match was. He showcased all of what made him special and he showcased all that made him unique. So if ever there was any misgivings, that maybe he was in a bad place, or struggling, put those thoughts to bed. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is alive and well. He’s going to score his goals and leave us wanting for more.

And, I guess when we’re really lucky, he’ll whip out a mask and truly enjoy himself too. This is who he has consistently been with Arsenal and he’s right back to that self again. How dare he have a match or so of struggles.