Tim Sherwood told Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports (17/10/20 at 12:35 pm) that both Granit Xhaka and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are changing at Arsenal under Mikel Arteta’s stewardship.
The former Spurs manager believes the previously error-prone Xhaka is now becoming ‘more responsible’, whilst he’s forcing the ‘unbelievable’ Aubameyang to track back and do the ‘ugly’ side of the game.
The Gunners were beaten 1-0 at City yesterday, with a Raheem Sterling’s goal being the difference and both Xhaka and Aubameyang starting the encounter.
Ever since Arteta left the Etihad for the Emirates Stadium, the likes of Aubameyang and Xhaka have been regulars and Sherwood is noticing something different.
“He’s got the midfield in there being more responsible,” Sherwood told Sky Sports. “Xhaka is a responsible player now. He sits in front of the back two and he fills up holes.
On Aubameyang: “He’s just incredible. The goals that he scores and the numbers of assists even. The work rate. I mean Mikel has got him working back.
“He [Arteta] has a knack of getting top-class players to play and do the ugly stuff in the game, which is good management. They have got good players Arsenal, but it’s not the final piece of the jigsaw. I think they need more players and they are evolving.”
Arsenal’s record transfer deals
- Nicolas Pepe
£72 million
- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
£56 million
- Alexandre Lacazette
£52 million
- Thomas Partey
45 million
- Mesut Ozil
£42 million
The key thing for Arteta is that he is making progress with this team, and as he nears his first-year in charge, he can only look back on the huge progress he has made.
During the latter weeks of Unai Emery’s reign, Arsenal were hitting all-time lows and it was portrayed by the lifeless mood inside the stadium.
It was clear a change was needed. And whilst Arsenal still have a long way to go, they are climbing back up that ladder, it’s just a case of ensuring they now don’t fall off.
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