‘I prefer this Auba’ – Arteta delighted with improved Aubameyang
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has heaped praise on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang amidst the club captain’s improved run of form.
Aubameyang has scored in each of his last four games at the Emirates Stadium with the Gunners unbeaten in their last six matches in the Premier League.
The Gabon captain notably struggled last term, only managing ten league goals in 29 appearances.
Football is a game of emotions but abuse is not reasoned criticism…
He impressed against Aston Villa on Friday night, scoring one and assisting another as Arsenal won the match 3-1.
The 32-year-old led from the front, constantly pressing the Villa defence, chasing every ball and being an overall nuisance to the opposition.
“I have never seen Auba transmit what he is doing now,” Arteta told the club’s media team.
“Apart from the goals, the celebration when they put the ball in the net, do you see the way he runs? The purpose he has to press the ball, and when he takes it his movement, his link, how is leading the game – that is when he is changing the rest, not when he is static and then he puts the ball in the net. I prefer this Auba.
“For me it is a click. It is a combination that realising that his role has to go well beyond that.
These two 😍@Auba 🤝 @LacazetteAlex
#️⃣ #ARSAVL pic.twitter.com/h0HpmTcRAZ
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) October 22, 2021
“What was good, or very good, two or three years ago, with his role in this team, at this club, it is not enough. He had to take a step forward. I would say the same with Laca, look what he is transmitting, not just doing or playing, what he is transmitting. For me that is really, really important.
“They lead by example and not only there but as well at the training ground. Certain things, a role they could have had three years ago in the squad, now it has changed.”
Meanwhile, Arsenal’s William Saliba is enjoying a wonderful spell on loan at Ligue 1 outfit Marseille.
The young defender helped his team to a 0-0 draw against a star-studded Paris St-Germain side including Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi.
And Saliba has rated his performance against PSG as “the best game of [his] career”.
“It’s the best game of my career, playing a Classico at the Velodrome with this atmosphere,” he said.