Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

[Arsenal Tone]

I'm beginning to think that our front three should be Pepe and Saka either side of Martinelli.

[jayramfootball]

I'm beginning to think that our front three should be Pepe and Saka either side of Martinelli.

I'd also like to see Martinelli through the middle.
I seem to recall though that he prefers to play as a WF.

Auba left, Martinelli centre and Saka right might also be worth a try.

[DiamondGooner]

I'm beginning to think that our front three should be Pepe and Saka either side of Martinelli.

That's what worries me about Arteta or more like why I'm done with him.

if you have an attacking line up of Martinelli, Saka, Balogun, Auba, Lacazette, Pepe.

............. I mean, how in the hell do you fk that up??

Most managers would kill for that line up at their disposal.

Problem is Arteta is and never was attack minded, he has no clue what a striker needs, he's a micro managing control freak who loves Xhaka because he reminds him of the sort of player he was.

Which is why I actually thought Arteta managed the team better when we played 3-4-3 because that disciplined, strong defense and midfield suited Arteta's mindset better.

Now he's trying to copy Wenger and Pep he's falling apart because he can't wrap his head around that sort of creative and attacking freedom.

[Arsenal Tone]

I'm beginning to think that our front three should be Pepe and Saka either side of Martinelli.

That's what worries me about Arteta or more like why I'm done with him.

if you have an attacking line up of Martinelli, Saka, Balogun, Auba, Lacazette, Pepe.

............. I mean, how in the hell do you fk that up??

Most managers would kill for that line up at their disposal.

Problem is Arteta is and never was attack minded, he has no clue what a striker needs, he's a micro managing control freak who loves Xhaka because he reminds him of the sort of player he was.

Which is why I actually thought Arteta managed the team better when we played 3-4-3 because that disciplined, strong defense and midfield suited Arteta's mindset better.

Now he's trying to copy Wenger and Pep he's falling apart because he can't wrap his head around that sort of creative and attacking freedom.

Yeah, 3-4-3/5-2-3 works because the defensive structure gives the front three more freedom. Not sure ESR fits in that formation though.

[Angelito]

^

You're fishing in a swimming pool and wondering why you can't catch a fish.

Nobody has any issue with Auba. Either he goes back to being the elite goal-scorer he was, or we accept that he's past his prime. If he still has it, you can only point at the team setup, or his personal issues from last season. It's not complex.

These illogical arguments are fine for the sake of having arguments. But they're pointless and do not resolve anything. It's mere personal gratification atm. You can limit that to those willing to humor you.

If he still has it, you can only point at the team setup, or his personal issues from last season. It's not complex.

If he still has it I can point to the more likely reason for his poor form as being the player not putting the effort in because he's happy with his last big paycheque from the club. That's a bit more logical than blaming other players.

Why would I 'only' be able to point to the team set-up being the issue?
The same team set up where he was previously scoring goals?

Nobody claims that it's the only reason. You're forming your own theses and countering them with your own anti-theses.

The personal issues that could have played a part in his poor showing last season of course hurts his form, if that's the reason he's underperforming. That goes without saying.

Aubameyang outperformed his xG in 20/21. Such instances are anomalies, not the norm. The previous systems he played under was under Wenger, Emery, and the final 6 months of 20/21 under Arteta.

Last season, we scored a mere 55 goals. Chances came at a premium. We were 12th in big chances created. So, you have to give the benefit of doubt to Aubameyang instead of calling him an unmotivated hack. If we were creating loads of chances, if we played brilliant, attacking football, there would be no doubt. It'd mean he's no longer the player he was.

I've started to believe that he's past his prime. That said, Arteta's snore-ball football hasn't helped matters. That—coinciding with his personal problems made him ineffective last season (compared to his usual self). And, Auba's never been a world beater. He is/was a world class finisher. That is/was his game.

So, instead of trying to fish out arguments where they don't exist by going for the most simplistic precursor, it's smart to look at all available data and propose an argument.

[jayramfootball]

^

You're fishing in a swimming pool and wondering why you can't catch a fish.

Nobody has any issue with Auba. Either he goes back to being the elite goal-scorer he was, or we accept that he's past his prime. If he still has it, you can only point at the team setup, or his personal issues from last season. It's not complex.

These illogical arguments are fine for the sake of having arguments. But they're pointless and do not resolve anything. It's mere personal gratification atm. You can limit that to those willing to humor you.

If he still has it, you can only point at the team setup, or his personal issues from last season. It's not complex.

If he still has it I can point to the more likely reason for his poor form as being the player not putting the effort in because he's happy with his last big paycheque from the club. That's a bit more logical than blaming other players.

Why would I 'only' be able to point to the team set-up being the issue?
The same team set up where he was previously scoring goals?

Nobody claims that it's the only reason. You're forming your own theses and countering them with your own anti-theses.

The personal issues that could have played a part in his poor showing last season of course hurts his form, if that's the reason he's underperforming. That goes without saying.

Aubameyang outperformed his xG in 20/21. Such instances are anomalies, not the norm. The previous systems he played under was under Wenger, Emery, and the final 6 months of 20/21 under Arteta.

Last season, we scored a mere 55 goals. Chances came at a premium. We were 12th in big chances created. So, you have to give the benefit of doubt to Aubameyang instead of calling him an unmotivated hack. If we were creating loads of chances, if we played brilliant, attacking football, there would be no doubt. It'd mean he's no longer the player he was.

I've started to believe that he's past his prime. That said, Arteta's snore-ball football hasn't helped matters. That—coinciding with his personal problems made him ineffective last season (compared to his usual self). And, Auba's never been a world beater. He is/was a world class finisher. That is/was his game.

So, instead of trying to fish out arguments where they don't exist by going for the most simplistic precursor, it's smart to look at all available data and propose an argument.

No, you made a pretty definitive statement.

If he still has it, you can only point at the team setup, or his personal issues from last season. It's not complex.

I am saying there is another option, if he still has it - that he is simply not motivated anymore.
That is what I think is the truth, because despite the first half-season under Arteta lacking creativity, he still scored goals. The team play is not an excuse that holds up to scrutiny.
Likewise - his mothers illness and his malaria being an influence also does not hold up to scrutiny.
He was poor before those things happened.

Moreover, actually watching him play made it obvious that he was not putting the same amount of effort in.

It's easy and quite popular to blame Arteta and Aubas teammates for his lack of form.

Auba just needs to get his bloody finger out and start performing or he should be dropped.
The expectation should be sky high for him after his big contract and fanfare about being a legend - we should not be dreaming up every excuse we can to lay the blame at others doors.

[Santi]

All these front 3's without Laca belong in the garbage.

[KG3]

All these front 3's without Laca belong in the garbage.

[swipe right]

We have to find a way to get the ball to Auba faster. The way we moved the ball around the park last season was abysmal. We played this strange style of passing the ball out wide, not being able to penetrate the box and passing it backwards towards central midfield. I can see why Auba struggled. Yes he’s lost a bit of sharpness from prior seasons but not having midfielders who can play the ball in behind is a huge handicap. Just think about it, next season City will start with KdB, Grealish and Mahrez playing in their center forward. That is the difference between us and the top of the league. Blaming Auba alone is not going to solve this issue.

[jayramfootball]

We have to find a way to get the ball to Auba faster. The way we moved the ball around the park last season was abysmal. We played this strange style of passing the ball out wide, not being able to penetrate the box and passing it backwards towards central midfield. I can see why Auba struggled. Yes he’s lost a bit of sharpness from prior seasons but not having midfielders who can play the ball in behind is a huge handicap. Just think about it, next season City will start with KdB, Grealish and Mahrez playing in their center forward. That is the difference between us and the top of the league. Blaming Auba alone is not going to solve this issue.

Auba got to play 1049 minutes as a starting CF last season.
Lacazette played 1728 minutes as a starting CF last season.

Laca had 0.63 goals per game from that position, Auba 0.43.
For reference Harry Kane scored 0.67 per game from the CF position.

Why is it that the team around Lacazette can have him scoring at a rate close to the golden boot winner, yet Auba couldn't do it with the same players around him?

0.43 goals per game is the same as Nketiah achieved as a centre forward in the league.

One of the biggest mistakes Arteta made last year was interrupting Lacazette's season and opting for Auba in the equivalent of 11 games as a CF.
Laca only ended up playing half the season and still managed 13 league goals.
He could do it to a top-level with the team around him.
Auba could not.

So blaming Auba - and Arteta for choosing him to take minutes away from Laca - is exactly correct.
It wasn't the team around him, it wasn't tactics, it wasn't anything else other than Auba failed to perform to a high level let alone the level expected of him once he signed his new contract.

Auba simply needs to knock it out the park this year to make up for what was a really poor showing last year - which is on him, no one else.

[themessiah]

We have to find a way to get the ball to Auba faster. The way we moved the ball around the park last season was abysmal. We played this strange style of passing the ball out wide, not being able to penetrate the box and passing it backwards towards central midfield. I can see why Auba struggled. Yes he’s lost a bit of sharpness from prior seasons but not having midfielders who can play the ball in behind is a huge handicap. Just think about it, next season City will start with KdB, Grealish and Mahrez playing in their center forward. That is the difference between us and the top of the league. Blaming Auba alone is not going to solve this issue.

I like Auba but The guy won the golden boot a couple season and was runner up the following seasons mainly playing LW ffs. Maybe Auba is just finished now or just got lazy after getting that fat contract lol.

[DiamondGooner]

Yeah, 3-4-3/5-2-3 works because the defensive structure gives the front three more freedom. Not sure ESR fits in that formation though.

Easy fix.

Play ESR sitting behind a front two LF & RF

3-4-1-2

We don't have any good CF's anyway, not any that are so productive we can't swap them out for a CAM.

[jayramfootball]

Yeah, 3-4-3/5-2-3 works because the defensive structure gives the front three more freedom. Not sure ESR fits in that formation though.

Easy fix.

Play ESR sitting behind a front two LF & RF

3-4-1-2

We don't have any good CF's anyway, not any that are so productive we can't swap them out for a CAM.

Laca was very productive last year as a CF.
One of the best in the league.
I think only two players had a better goals per minute record
He just didn't play enough.
Obviously if he leaves we are very short.

[DiamondGooner]

Yeah, 3-4-3/5-2-3 works because the defensive structure gives the front three more freedom. Not sure ESR fits in that formation though.

Easy fix.

Play ESR sitting behind a front two LF & RF

3-4-1-2

We don't have any good CF's anyway, not any that are so productive we can't swap them out for a CAM.

Laca was very productive last year as a CF.
One of the best in the league.
I think only two players had a better goals per minute record
He just didn't play enough.
Obviously if he leaves we are very short.

We're not going to give him a Golden parachute retirement contract though that much seems obvious so his time here is numbered ............ plus his goal tally is always a struggle, he's not great in the air and if he doesn't get the service all he has to offer is graft which he is quality at but it seems we could be more effective playing a front 2.

Last year he was playing for a big contract (due now), he's not going to be better than that.

I actually feel sorry for him, we won't give him one and his courters like Atletico just never pull the trigger, times running out for Laca, he'll end up a free agent at this rate.

[Arsenal Tone]

Yeah, 3-4-3/5-2-3 works because the defensive structure gives the front three more freedom. Not sure ESR fits in that formation though.

Easy fix.

Play ESR sitting behind a front two LF & RF

3-4-1-2

We don't have any good CF's anyway, not any that are so productive we can't swap them out for a CAM.

I really like that idea.