Joe Cole questions Mikel Arteta recalling Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to the Arsenal squad as he cannot trust his former captain to deliver, while speaking on BT Sport (16/12, 22:56).
Arteta stripped the striker of the armband on Tuesday after a ‘latest’ disciplinary breach. He had led the Gunners on the field since November 2019 when given the role by former head coach Unai Emery, following the Spaniard demoting his on-field general Granit Xhaka.
Alexandre Lacazette has taken over the captaincy on an interim basis during the Emirates Stadium side’s last two games. The Frenchman is also in the running to continue in the role this season, per The Athletic, despite his £182k-a-week contract expiring next summer.
Aubameyang has not featured in Arsenal’s last two matches due to his disciplinary breach. Arteta’s side took a 3-0 win over Southampton and 2-0 win over West Ham without him.
The 32-year-old also only played five-minutes in his last outing after falling to the bench at Everton. Arteta also introduced Eddie Nketiah as a substitute before fielding Aubameyang.
Cole questions Arteta recalling Aubameyang
Former England international Cole now questions if Arteta will recall Aubameyang to a key role at Arsenal anytime soon. Along with being stripped of the captaincy, Cole notes how the forward has underperformed for a long time.
“The players will probably want Aubameyang [to play], but you can question his form this season,” Cole said. “Is he the player he was? He’s well into his thirties.
“So, when you’re stepping onto the pitch, you want players that you know… I like the analogy that we’re on a bus and we’re going one way. You can’t be facing the other way.
“In all the good teams I played [in], you didn’t feel like you had any passengers or anyone who will let you down at crucial moments. I don’t mean a technical mistake or even a tactical mistake [like being] in the wrong position, I mean like a mental mistake.
“Aubameyang, I’ve seen him enough to know that this year, he’s been at it all the time. So, his power amongst the team as a player, strictly what he delivers, has dropped.”
Should Aubameyang return to the starting XI?
Aubameyang has featured in 14 of Arsenal’s 17 Premier League games so far this term and has started 12. But the £250k-a/w man has only scored four goals and none since October.
Arteta has also confirmed, via football.london, that Aubameyang will not be available for selection when Arsenal visit Leeds on Saturday. So, the forward may now have to wait until Boxing Day when they visit Norwich to make his top-flight return.
But Aubameyang must show Arteta in training he is worthy of being recalled. He is without a goal in six games and lost a starting role after a disappointing night at Manchester United. The striker had chances to end his drought at Old Trafford, but once again lacked bite.
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