Mikel Arteta & his Arsenal have come under a lot of criticism off late, especially after humbling in hands of Liverpool at the Emirates on the weekend. The Gunners’ faithful around the globe are disappointed in not only how Arsenal played but also how they carried themselves on the pitch – and one man stands out here, Travis Scott a.k.a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Coming in with the hair attachments raised a lot of eyebrows around, but that performance was as bad as he looked with that band and long hairs. No commitment, No Passion, looking very much like deadwood.
Fans & pundits from around everywhere have ripped into Arsenal skipper for everything (nothing) he did against Liverpool and many are not only asking for him to be dropped off the squad but also of that privilege to walk in front of the team from the tunnel. What Aubameyang has shown as a leader since taking that band is worry-some over how it will impact the upcoming brand of starlets in Bukayo Saka, Emile-Smith Rowe, Gabriel Martinelli and many of the rough diamonds Arsenal possess.
Well, there is much to agree to that – Arsenal has had leaders who lead from the front viz. Patrick Vieira, Tony Adams, Joe Mercer, Frank McLintock – players who are inspirational on and off the pitch. And watching Auba running in from the left with that arm-band on is just not soo animating.
Now, that brings us to the selection conundrum Mikel Arteta has in front of him, as Arsenal possesses ‘talent of the century‘ in Gabriel Martinelli – who the Spaniard has been underusing to the amusement of fans.
There are many punters with Free Bets about the Brazilian replacing the Gabonese in Arsenal’s eleven, and I for once would agree with them. Martinelli has not played as much we Gooners would have loved to watch him – partly because of injuries and partly because of Mikel Arteta and all the knowledge he brought from Pep Guardiola (Yes, I’m referring to a keen Phil Foden here).
Arsenal’s season is lost cause if not for Europa League now, and they’d certainly need to go all incoming Thursday when they host Slavia Prague in the first-leg of UEL’s quarter-finals. And, a certain Gabriel Martinelli needs to don that infamous Red & White.
