Arsenal: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is right about most things

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is off to his usual fast start, but the Arsenal man has a track record for saying some highly accurate things.

No one would have considered Arsenal title contenders in the summer, and I would say that right now, not many are getting their hopes up. That includes me, Mr. Optimism. Unless something changes with this defense, I can’t see a title push, no matter how much I’d like to.

But there is someone whose opinion matters much more than mine who would beg to differ, and that person is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

I don’t often put a lot of credence in a player’s words. I learned that from the Arsene Wenger days, when he guaranteed us that certain players wouldn’t be leaving, and certain players guaranteed us they wouldn’t be leaving, and within a week, everyone was wrong.

It grew tiresome. But there’s a new level of accountability for words at the club, to the point that when player’s speak, I tend to listen. Sokratis saying that Liverpool are easier to defend against is one thing that I’ll cover… some other day. But Aubameyang saying that the Gunners are title contenders?

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Not crazy anymore.

Something about him saying it, as opposed to someone else saying it, makes me start to believe. Because Aubameyang has been right about most things he’s said.

For instance, when he came out and told Unai Emery to start Alexandre Lacazette next to him? Brilliant. Well done. Recently he also said that the front three needs to be himself, Laca and Nicolas Pepe—also brilliant.

Those are obvious ones though. Title contenders? Not so obvious. Still though, Aubameyang isn’t the kind of person who makes grandiose claims for the attention. He doesn’t need any extra attention with how many goals he scores. So there is an added credibility to these statements because he actually believes them.

And this is also different than when Matteo Guendouzi said something similar early last year. He was a young, excited player, eager to do great things with his new club.

Aubameyang is a veteran. He’s been around the block, he knows the competition. And he believes it.

So you know what? If Aubameyang is going to believe it, then hell, I am too. It may be seen as crazy, or overly optimistic, or whatever the hell else you want to call it, but I’d rather stand with Aubameyang than everyone else.