Tag Archives: Alexandre Lacazette

5 reasons why selling Aubameyang makes perfect sense for Arsenal

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The stories doing the rounds about various Chinese clubs lining up a big money move for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are likely to be no more than click bait at the moment.

Aubameyang was reportedly in talks with Arsenal to add an extra year to his contract – taking it from 2 years left to 3 – and at the same time increasing his £180,000 a week salary closer to £250,000. The stories may well also be getting leaked by his agent, who is trying to force Arsenal’s hand in negotiations.

Chinese clubs have attempted to sign Aubameyang in the past.

Whilst at Dortmund, a £62million move to Guangzhou Evergrande fell through; and Tianjin Quanjian had agreed to pay Dortmund £71m for Aubameyang six months prior to his eventual move to Arsenal.

£300,000 a week is reportedly on the table from Shanghai SIPG, a figure would be very tempting for Aubameyang.

Cashing in may well also interest Arsenal, especially if a bid north of £70million comes in for last seasons Premier League Golden Boot winner.

There are 5 good reasons why Arsenal should cash in on Aubameyang if the right offer comes in

  1. Aubameyang is reaching 30. With 2 years left on his contract this summer is the last opportunity where we can sell for big money and reinvest.

 

  1. In Alexandre Lacazette, Arsenal have a world class striker ready to step up. This means the money raised from Aubameyang can be re-invested elsewhere in the starting XI, rebalancing a top heavy squad.

 

  1. £70m would be more than enough to buy someone like Nicolas Pepe; and have enough change to sign a striker to sit between Lacazette and Nketiah.

 

  1. Liverpool have shown in recent years how important it is to sell at the right time, for the right price, and reinvest. Even if that means selling your best player. You strengthen the team by selling an individual.

 

  1. Too often we have kept hold of ageing players 1 season too long, selling them a year after for a lot less money – Vieira, Sanchez, Henry and RVP could have generated £200m in sales. We kept them one year extra and they raised less than £50m – missing out on the likes of Torres, Saurez and Salah in the process.

At the moment Arsenal have 2 top class strikers but do not have the creativity to get the ball to him (sorry Ozil fans!).

It makes a lot of sense to sell one of Aubameyang or Lacazette and reinvest that into a top class wide man like Pepe.

Some will put an argument of Aubameyang being kept and Lacazette being sold, but the key is age.

Lacazette is 2-years younger than Aubameyang. He has more years left in the tank. If the Frenchman was sold, in 2 years time you would be in a situation where you need to spend £50million to replace Aubameyang (the argument that Nketiah might be ready to step up then is too much of a risk).

By keeping Lacazette, it keeps time on our side. We can continue investing elsewhere in the team knowing that he will be around for another 4 years.

Reinvestment is a risk.

As much as you might end up with Sadio Mane, Firmino and Mo Salah, you could also end up with Divock Origi, Lazar Marković and Adam Lallana.

I think selling Aubameyang and reinvesting the money is worth the risk…

Keenos

The substitution that changed the world

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As Alexandre Lacazette’s number appeared in the board, boos filled the air in North London as Arsenal fans showed their disapproval of the decision.

The decision by Unai Emery to take off the Frenchman for Aaron Ramsey was not a popular one. Fans felts Lacazette was still contributing. Far more than Alex Iwobi or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

They had been influenced by the media – who had highlighted how often Lacazette gets taken off. They felt it was unfair. That he should finish 90 minutes. The frustration was that he was also the first man to be hooked off.

What the emotional response highlighted was why fans are fans and the manager is in the dugout.

A football manager can not let his emotions, the crowd around him, or the media affect his decision making.

Emery felt Lacazette for Ramsey was the right decision; and Arsenal took the game from 2-1 to 4-1 with Ramsey scoring the 3rd. Aubameyang – who many felt should have been the man to be taken off – scored the 4th.

When the substitution was made, the chap next to me muttered “why are we going negative and defensive”. That comment really summed up the lack of understanding of fans. Ramsey has never been a negative, defensive substation.

Emery fully explained the logic of the change:

“Tactically we thought in that moment we needed to change for more balance. Above all we know Fulham midfielder Jean Michael Seri is coming on and we need a player close to him, not to let him play easily with the ball.

“Ramsey can do that and also help us in attack, and he scored. The reason is this. I need to do my work. And not maybe because every supporter can have a different opinion, tactically.”

By bringing on Ramsey, it meant a formation switch from 433 to 4321.

Ramsey could both press high onto Seri whilst still maintaining an attacking threat. A negative substation would have been bringing Mo Elneny on rather than Ramsey.

Some fans have also moaned that it should have been Iwobi or Aubameyang to come off rather than Lacazette. Again, there are logical reasons why they remained on the pitch.

Emery went to 4321 with Iwobi and Ramsey in behind Aubameyang. Lacazette can not play behind a striker. It is not his game. Neither can Aubameyang. So if you want to switch to that formation, Iwobi must stay on.

There is also logic behind keeping Aubameyang on ahead of Lacazette and it is all about speed.

Aubameyang is quicker than Lacazette. If the game is tight and the opponents are coming on to you, you need to be able to counter punch. Aubameyang on the counter attack ensured that if Arsenal didn’t get that quick 3rd from Ramsey, they would have a threat up top. They would be able to hit Fulham on the break.

It used to infuriate me back in the day when Theo Walcott was taken off when Arsenal had a one goal lead. You want to keep your quickest forward on as the likelihood is the 2 goal lead will come from a break.

Aubameyang moved into the middle, was then a threat with the ball over the top and Ramsey and Iwobi presses high behind him disrupting Fulham’s passing.

Ramsey scored the 3rd. Aubameyang the 4th. Emery’s decision justified.

But still last night, after seeing their side win 4-1, some fans were still moaning about the substitution.

Keenos

Bromance of Arsenal strikers

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When he joined in January, there was plenty of talk that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang  was a disruptive influence.

There was talk that his arrival would cause friction with between the Gabonese striker and the man bought in the summer, Alexandre Lacazette. That two players competing for one position, and one with the ego of Aubameyang, would result in the French striker being unhappy and leaving.

Calling Aubameyang a disruptive influence with an ego was basically lazy journalism.

They saw a young black man with spiky hair and tattoos who liked sports cars and jackets and assumed he had a massive ego, without really knowing the player. It was labelling, the same we see with Raheem Sterling.

Every multi millionaire footballer has a top of the range car, usually more than one, but it seems only certain players are criticised for it. Usually young black players.

They also claimed he was a disruptive influence. But there had no evidence of it. Just hearsay. Even though those that knew him, or were close to the Dortmund set up debunked the rumours. They said he had a couple of issues over the years arriving late for training after visiting Milan or Paris, but that was all.

He was a team mate. A jolly character who bought people together.

The press ignored the facts and wrote their stories for hits, clicks and advertising revenue.

Instead of competing against each other, seeing each other as rivals creating friction, Aubameyang and Lacazette have actually struck up a bromance, and it should not be a surprise to anyone.

Aubameyang and Lacazette were born just two years apart, they are both in their late 20s adjusting to life in a new country.

Lacazette was born in Lyon, France, spending his entire life in the French city prior to moving to Arsenal. Aubameyang meanwhile is much more travelled in his career.

Aubameyang’s career has taken him from Italy, to France, then Germany and now England. What is often forgotten about is that whilst he plays for Gabon he was actually born in Laval, France.

He lived in France for 17 years before moving to Italy to join AC Milan’s youth set up. They then loaned him back to French clubs before selling him to Saint-Étienne in 2011.

He is the son of former Gabonese captain Pierre Aubameyang, but is as much French as he is Gabonese.

Like Aubameyang, Lacazette is also from a French immigrant family. His family originate from Guadeloupe.

Lacazette is the youngest of 4 brothers, Aubameyang the youngest of 3.

So here you have two men of similar age, both bought up in France to immigrant families, both the youngest children, both living in London for the first time. Is it really a surprise that they are drawn to each other, seeing themselves as friends rather than rivals?

They clearly socialise together, and their off the pitch connection came through during the game against Cardiff on Sunday where they linked up well.

Playing the pair up front together, at the sacrifice of either Mesut Ozil or Henrikh Mkhitaryan is an exciting option.

Keenos