I woke up and saw the news of my beloved captain exit to Barcelona. Honestly, I wasn't surprised because the feud between him and Arteta had to be resolved quickly.
Aubameyang hasn't played for weeks now and Arteta has come out to say he's been handling the situation game by game. This is not the first time I'm seeing Arteta do this. The case of Mesut Ozil still rings a bell in my ear.
I won't dwell much on this situation as I can't judge it... Even Ross Kennedy, From the Above article says,
It’s difficult to judge each of these cases individually since the full details aren’t, and possibly never will, be fully divulged
This is totally true, as no one knows exactly what happened.
In this article, I want to examine Arsenal's chances of a top 4 finish without Aubameyang. I'd be doing my Analysis from a Fan's point of view!
Forget the lackluster performance Burnley, And the Cup exit, Arsenal have done well without Aubameyang. Arteta dropping aubameyang seemed like a good decision because we had good results even without our captain.
Lacazette stepped up to take the no 9 role but hasn't been convincing in his finishing touches. I love his workrate, However, he hasn't contributed to the goals like a striker should do.
The goals has been coming form the young lads. Smith Rowe, whose is currently our top scorer has scored a couple of goals off the bench which is very impressive.
I think if the young boys keep firing, we can make top 4!
Come to think of it, Arteta has been a great factor when it comes to the improvements of this young lads. Take for instance, Bukayo Saka, who recently heaped praise on the manager for his effort in making him feel comfortable in his playing style.
While many might be against Arteta on twitter over the situation with Aubameyang, I still feel he is the right manager to lead us to top European football league.
I hear rumours that the club is lining a new contract for the manager. I hope that information is true.
Granit Xhaka has been one player which I dont think deserves a spot in the Arsenal's first 11. However, Arteta still loves him.
I still remember his push on Silva in the match against city that cost us a penalty. Among that bad decision is the numerous Red cards this guy have taken for the club. It is true that Xhaka has a good pass accuracy, however with the team we have at the moment, we can rely on the attacking players and expect the defensive players to hold their own.
I just think, Sabi lokonga needs to play ahead of Xhaka, at least that way, I'm not expecting any funny red card or silly challenge during the game.
Honestly, I fancy our chances with Smith Rowe coming from the bench. I love his hunger and determination to impact the scoreline. We lack strength on the bench, but with smith Rowe, we stand a better chance. Maybe someday Pepe will improve and impress, However, for now, we will need Smith Rowe as a top option from the bench.
I still wonder how arsenal fans think about Nicholas pepe. He is actually the most paid player in the club, but has failed to impress. I think he is talented but I don't think he fits into Arteta's style of play.
While the bookies favour Manchester United and Tottenham over Arsenal. I believe Arsenal would do better than them. Manchester united has been inconsistent, and I think they have more problems to solve than they realise. Tottenham have a good manager in Antonio conte. However, its not a gateway to top 4, they need to show workings!
Transfer window is closed and the tough road begins for every club now. I hope Arsenal finishes top 4 this season. I believe in Arteta! I believe In the young lads.