Jason Cundy has told talkSPORT that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s hat-trick in the EFL Cup reminded him of Mesut Ozil’s performance for Arsenal against Ludogorets in 2017.
The former Chelsea striker has hit out at Aubameyang for delivering in what he considers to be a relatively nothing game against a heavily-changed Championship side. Having not seen the £250,000-per-week forward step up when it counts for Arsenal over the last year.
Aubameyang produced his worst Premier League return in a complete season with 10 goals in 29 appearances last term. The Gunners captain also only hit three goals in eight Europa League games. But failed to net after the Last 32 as Mikel Arteta’s side reached the semis.
Aubameyang had also only scored once since March before Arsenal faced West Brom to add further fuel to Cundy’s argument. Who believes the Gabonese is still yet to deliver when it matters and needs to against Manchester City this Saturday.
“Aubameyang scores a hat-trick and walks off with the match ball against West Brom. Where has he been for the last year? Where has he been?” Cundy asked.
“If he rocks up against Man City and scores a couple of goals and you win 2-0, then we’ll have that conversation on Monday. Aubameyang walking off with the ball [against West Brom] reminded me of Ozil when they played the Ludogorets farmers.”
Was West Brom Aubameyang’s Ludogorets-Ozil moment at Arsenal?
Arsenal and Mikel Arteta will hope Aubameyang’s hat-trick at West Brom was not the striker’s Ludogorets-Ozil moment like Cundy suggests. The north Londoners will be desperate to see the 32-year-old now bounce back and return to his best self.
Ozil was still able to deliver some promising moments in an Arsenal shirt after his Champions League heroics at Ludogorets. But his moment under the spotlight in 2017 was one of his best whilst at the Emirates Stadium. Controlling a long-pass while on the run and bamboozling the Bulgarian outfit’s defence and goalkeeper before dinking the ball home.
Yet, while Cundy can wonder where Aubameyang has been given his year for Arsenal, there is some room for reflection. He has suffered with injuries and malaria, which saw him lose 4kg in weight. The forward also tested positive for coronavirus ahead of the new campaign.
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