Arsenal makes error by overlooking Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

As Arsenal fight to sign a world-class striker this summer, there is one player that seems to have escaped all attention. Despite leading the Bundesliga scoring charts last season and ranking third on the European Golden Shoe list, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been almost entirely overlooked. It has become patently clear that there are few high-calibre strikers available this summer.
Not only are Borussia Dortmund prepared to sell Aubameyang – they have even named their price, €70 million (£61.5m), and have lined up replacements – but he is also keen to leave the club and test himself elsewhere. Yet there is no queue of suitors for a player who has scored 79 goals in the last two seasons, despite his widely acknowledged availability.

Aubameyang scored, on average, every 89 minutes in the Bundesliga last season.

Aubameyang’s price tag may seem excessive, but in the current market it should be considered a bargain. It is significantly less than the frankly astounding £100m Everton are quoting for Romelu Lukaku, while Manchester United’s hopes of landing Alvaro Morata are being held up by Real Madrid’s desire to get a fee as close to the £75.3m Juventus paid for Gonzalo Higuain.


In north London, meanwhile, Arsenal have been told to stump up £54m for Alexandre Lacazette – just £7.5m less than Aubameyang would cost – while the total absence of any striker targets at Anfield is becoming an increasing concern for Liverpool.
All the while, Aubameyang is waiting on the sidelines, considered by many clubs as a backup target rather than their primary concern. But it should be the other way around. The Gabon international is tailor-made for the Premier League and significantly more complete and established than other targets being chased.

Quite apart from his goals – he netted 31 times in 32 Bundesliga appearances last season – he offers a potent blend of searing pace, clever movement and tenacious defensive work, evolving into a thoroughbred goalscorer under Thomas Tuchel. The coach’s departure will surely only strengthen Aubameyang’s desire to leave, having made huge strides under his tutelage even if they sometimes had their differences.
The German tactician gave him a more prominent, central role than that afforded to him by Jurgen Klopp, who initially deployed him on the flanks – though admittedly he was in competition with Robert Lewandowski for a time. He improved his finishing thanks to a combination of greater confidence, better chance creation and smarter decision-making in the final third, even out-scoring the Bayern Munich striker last season as he developed into perhaps Europe’s most dangerous poacher in and around the six-yard box.

In Lacazette, the Gunners are targeting a player Arsene Wenger has turned down the opportunity to sign multiple times in the past and who is well below Olivier Giroud in the French national team pecking order. At Liverpool, Mohamed Salah may be on his way but there is a staggering absence of goals, especially with Daniel Sturridge expected to depart.
The irony is that Aubameyang is perfect for both sides. Tuchel’s Dortmund played a very similar brand of football to Arsenal, coaching the attack to create high quality chances inside the box, particularly from pull-backs.

MATCH PREVIEW: SWANSEA CITY VS ARSENAL

Liberty Stadium, Swansea

September 28, 2013; 17:30 BST

Swansea City will be hosting Arsenal today at the Liberty Stadium. The last match between these two sides ended in a 2-0 victory for the Gunners as Gervinho and Monreal scored for the Gunners side. Arsenal have had the upper hand against Swansea, losing just twice in the last six matches against them. Swansea’s last victory against Wenger’s side was in 2012, when Arsenal target Michu scored a brace.

Arsenal lost in their Premier League campaign opening against Aston Villa at the Emirates. Since that loss Gunners have won eight matches on the bounce and currently lead the league table. They are coming into this game after a victory over West Brom in the League Cup, where the match was forced to go to the penalties.

Swansea on the other hand made a poor start to their campaign with back to back defeats against Manchester United and Tottenham in the opening two rounds. Michael Laudrup’s men has turned things around since then and they are currently ninth on the league table. But Swansea City are coming into this game on the back of humiliating League Cup defeat against Birmingham City. Swansea conceded three goals in the second half against the Championship side and will look to put out a better performance against the Gunners.

Team News

Arsenal

Arsenal are still suffering from their long list of injuries with the like of Theo Walcott, Santi Cazorla, Abou Diaby, Yaya Sanogo, Lukas Podolski,  Alex Oxlade Chamberlain and Tomas Rosicky are all out with injuries. But Rosicky is close to returning to full fitness and could be fit for the match against Napoli.

Gnabry will continue his time in the first team squad in the absence of Theo Walcott on the right, while Mesut Ozil and Jack Wilshere will provide the creativity in behind Olivier Giroud. Ozil has made an instant impact upon his arrival and is already leading the assist chart. 

Flamini has been another significant signing for the Arsenal and he is providing the much needed steel in front of the defence. Something they have lacked for quite a long time in recent past. He and Ramsey could possibly keep Mikel Arteta out of this Arsenal side this season.

My Predicted Line-Up

Arsenal  [4-2-3-1]: Szczesny (GK); Sagna, Koscielny, Mertesacker, Gibbs; Ramsey, Flamini; Gnabry, Ozil, Wilshere; Giroud

 

 Swansea City

Swansea on the other hand doesn’t have too many injury concerns at the moment, but there are doubts about the fitness of Pablo Hernandez and Ashley Williams. 

Michael Laudrup’s side are likely to field the same team that won against Crystal Palace last weekend, which means Bony will continue his role in the bench as Alvaro is preferred ahead of him. Rangel, Chico, Williams and Davies will form the back four with Canas and Shelvey playing in the pivot ahead of them. Canas is the man who provides the defensive cover to the backline with Shelvey playing in a more advanced role.

Swansea are one of the few sides who look to take on Arsenal in their own game. They are brilliant in keeping possession and have provided a lot of worries for the Gunners in the past, although the score line hasn’t always reflected their effort. In this game, at home, it will be no different. They would look to retain the ball and push the Gunners back with patience build up. But they must also be careful about not providing too much space in behind the defence for the Arsenal attackers to exploit.

My Predicted Line-Up

Swansea City [4-2-3-1]: Vorm (GK); Rangel, Chico, Williams, Davies; Canas, Shelvey; Dyer, Michu, Routledge; Alvaro

Key Facts

1. Both Barclays Premier League games between Swansea and Arsenal last season ended as 2-0 away wins.
2. Arsenal scored three goals from set-pieces in their last Premier League game, the first time they had scored this many in a single game since May 2010.
3. Arsenal will equal their best run of Premier League away wins if they win this match (eight).
4. Seven of the nine goals scored in the four games between Swansea and Arsenal last season came in the final 10 minutes of matches.

My Prediction Swansea City 1-3 Arsenal

FIRST TEAM SQUAD PHOTOCALL

Arsenal first team squad gathered at the training ground for their annual official squad photo 2013/2014

SZCZESNY: COMING TOGETHER CAN ONLY HELP US

Arsenal No.1 Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny believes that unionism is important as long as Goalkeeping role is concern. 

Arsenal No.1 Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny believes that unionism is important as long as Goalkeeping role is concern. 

Lukaz Fabianski has been joined by Emilano Vivano in competing for the first place in the Gunners. “Lukas and I (Szczesny) have been very good friends for nine to ten years now, so the environment as been that friendly and Vivano has been added to that,” Szczesny told the official matchday programme.

“He’s settled in well, and he’s very supportive as well as being competitive. Whoever gets to play has the backing of each others. We hope each other do well and that can only bring out the best in us.” He added

“When you start to realize that your position is not secure at all, you will always give your best even if it is 120 per cent out of 100 per cent maybe.

I changed my training schedule a little bit and it was worthwhile,  I got back into the team and have been doing my very best ever since.

I’ve just been trying to keep that training schedule going, and obviously with Lukaz and Emilano fighting for that place too and the competition are very tough now.”