Auba has been clutch, but can his goals bring CL football back to the Emirates?

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal scores his team's fifth goal during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Arsenal FC at Craven Cottage on October 7, 2018 in London, United Kingdom.

(Oct. 6, 2018 - Source: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images Europe)

The Gabonese captain was once again in on the act at the Emirates as Arsenal exited the FA Cup fourth round at the hands of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United. The Arsenal started off brightly, taking the game to the visitors but injuries on centre back pair, Sokratis and Koscielny proved detrimental to their winning efforts as Lukaku grew wings on the left-hand side of the United front three. The latter setting up two goals for Sanchez and Lingard in just two minutes. Arsenal’s top scorer, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang pulled one back before half time after Nigerian international, Alex Iwobi and Aaron Ramsey combined beautifully on the left-flank to set up, yet another tap in for the marksman. The game eventually ended 3-1 in favor of the Red Devils but a familiar feeling at the Emirates stadium bracketed the night. Even with one of the world’s inform strikers in Aubameyang, a meticulous Head Coach in Unai Emery with a proven track record of winning trophies and notable top quality players in their squad, its difficult to separate the “new Arsenal” with that which was presided over by Arsene Wenger over the past 22 years.

The player(s) they have always needed

Since Robin Van Persie, the London club had always been in search of a top quality striker to provide the goals and names such as Olivier Giroud, Yaya Sanogo, Nicklas Bendtner and Danny Welbeck auditioned for the role with little success. The arrival of Alexandre Lacazette in the summer of 201, further cemented by that of the African star, Aubameyang, completely obliterated the striker issue. In fact, the latter became an instant hit breaking some notable records for the club such as being on course to become the fastest player to reach 25 Premier League goals for the club, even ahead of legends such as Thierry Henry and Ian Wright. The 2015 African Player Of The Year also became the first Arsenal player to score on every day of the week coupled by his notable habit of scoring on competition debuts as he did against United in the Emirates FA Cup. Arsenal have in fact seldom struggled with scoring goals this campaign as they currently have the sixth most goals scored in Europe’s top five leagues, even ahead of the likes of high flying Dortmund, Liverpool or Bayern Munich. The club’s website actually labelled the Gabonese a man for all seasons (and days) as the club continues to falter between the lines of rejuvenation and stagnation. Seemingly, even the pair of  Premier League’s second top goal scorer and the Uruguayan international, Lucas Torreira (“the defensive midfielder they have always needed”), are just not enough for the Gunners.

“Even with one of the world’s inform strikers in Aubameyang, a meticulous Head Coach in Unai Emery with a proven track record of winning trophies and notable top quality players in their squad, its difficult to separate the “new Arsenal” with that which was presided over by Arsene Wenger over the past 22 years.”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

Unai Emery, Manager of Arsenal gives his team instructions during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and Leicester City at Emirates Stadium on October 22, 2018 in London, United Kingdom.

(Oct. 21, 2018 - Source: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images Europe)

The “perfect” manager

As Arsene Wenger’s time drew to a close at Arsenal, there was an increasingly growing unrest with the bulk of the fan base criticising the French man for being too laid back, non-adventurous and stingy to spend on transfers. In Emery, Arsenal got a “perfect” replacement for the resigned Wenger. The guy who won three consecutive Europa League trophies with Sevilla, five cups with PSG in two years and oversaw the development of players such as David Silva, David Villa and Ever Banega. Emery became that demanding Coach who pacies the touchline for the whole ninety, shouting instructions and unafraid to drop big names such as Mesut Ozil from the matchday squad. It’s undeniable that there has been some progress since the arrival of the Spaniard but the new Arsenal still has resemblances of the old, marked by frequent defensive catastrophes that saw them ship in 5 goals at Liverpool, painfully hit on the counter as with United on Friday or huffing and puffing at goal as was the case in their 1-0 loss to West Ham United. After being knocked out of the Emirates FA Cup, Carabao Cup, playing in the Europa League and lying 5th on the Premier League table, almost the same position and points they had last campaign after 20 matches with Arsene Wenger - you would understand one who confuses Emery’s Arsenal with that of Wenger.

What’s really the issue then?

It’s almost unrealistic to cover all that is going on at Arsenal in this piece but a few events that we have noticed in recent times do give hints and leave everything to one’s own judgment. The highly rated head of recruitment, Sven Mislintat who worked with Dortmund and helped bring in Aubameyang, Matteo Guendouzi, Torreira and Mkhitaryan left the club, just a little over a year after joining it, leaving more questions than answers into the Arsenal situation. Former Chief Executive, Ivan Gazidis who presided over the Wenger regime also left the club after ushering in “a new era” for the club when he brought in Unai Emery in the May of 2018 and so did co-owner Alisher Usmanov who sold his stake to the sole ownership of unpopular multiple sports business tycoon, Stan Kroenke. The general feeling amongst the Arsenal fans worldwide is that Kroenke is taking them for a ride by investing less than required into the development of the club. Just recently, we learnt that Arsenal were not going to buy any players in the January transfer window but would seek loans which may be difficult to understand when done by the ninth richest football club in the world as of 2019.

What do you think it’s going to take for the Gunners to start shooting again, unhindered?

Aubameyang shows enduring class but is Iwobi the winger that Arsenal needs?

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal scores his team's first goal during the UEFA Europa League Group E match between Arsenal and Vorskla Poltava at Emirates Stadium on September 20, 2018 in London, United Kingdom.

(Sept. 19, 2018 - Source: Henry Browne/Getty Images Europe)

Arsenal got off to a flying start in the 2018/19 Europa League campaign under the management of “Europa King” in Unai Emery who won the cup three consecutive times with La Liga side, Sevilla. The Gunners were in total control in the match against Ukrainian side, Vorskla that finished 4-2 at the Emirates courtesy of two goals from the Gabonese international, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, one from Danny Welbeck and Mesut Ozil also getting his name on the scoresheet for the second game running. It was a great team performance but two of the names that stood out were obviously Aubameyang and Nigerian international, Alex Iwobi.

The story of Arsenal’s “failed” wingers

“Iwobi neatly setup Aubameyang’s first goal in a flowing Arsenal move started by Mkhitaryan, hit a powerful shot from a few yards out of the box that curled off the post, completed two crosses and created at least four chances in only seventy minutes. He was the quickest running forward, unrelenting in tracking back the few times he had too, confident in his dribbles, taking on defenders directly and simply explosive if I were to use a single word to describe his performance.”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

For a while now, the North London club has been in search of an out and out winger that has become increasingly important in Unai Emery’s philosophy, the heir apparent to Arsene Wenger’s throne. The Spaniard has introduced a high pressing game at the Emirates that hinges on having an intense attacking midfielder that runs at the opponent and forces mistakes and a pacey, similarly unrelenting midfielder in pressing the opponent who also knows how to cover the defensive full-back. This has seen Emery playing Aaron Ramsey in the number 10 role in recent matches ahead of Mesut Ozil who has been deployed on either of the wings, simply because of Aaron’s pressing style and better work-rate. The 2014 world cup winner has still managed to string through a couple of excellent performances even though being played out of his favorite position including an arguably man of the match performance at Newcastle in the Premier League match-day five. However it always looks obvious on the pitch that Mesut becomes a completely different player more he goes central leaving the wing position still with no proper takers. The Armenian captain, Henrikh Mkhitaryan has also been regularly played on the right hand side of the wings which has worked just okay but still comes up short in providing defensive cover to the right back, Hector Bellerin simply because Mkhi is simply not a natural winger. The winger problem is no secret as the club was clearly on high alert for natural flankers with the likes of Bayern’s Kingsley Coman, Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele and RB Leipzig’s Emil Forsberg being consistently rumored to join the Gunners in the summer transfer window.

Now, Arsenal faithfuls were mostly definitely encouraged by one of Africa’s hottest young football talents on Thursday night. Perhaps they have what they have always been looking for in the 22-year old Nigerian international.

Big 17, Running up and down the wing

Alvaro Morata of Chelsea is pressured by Alex Iwobi and Granit Xhaka of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Arsenal FC at Stamford Bridge on August 18, 2018 in London, United Kingdom.

(Aug. 17, 2018 - Source: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images Europe)

Iwobi has hardly put a foot wrong whenever he came on for Arsenal in this 2018/19 season and the story was no different in the Europa League. He got his first start under Unai Emery in the 3-2 loss to Chelsea at stamford bridge in an applaudable performance which they were unlucky not to get at least a point from. “Big 17” as he calls himself, was a constant menace on the left wing, getting the better of Chelsea Captain Cesar Azpilicueta, even creating Mkhitaryan first goal by pulling off some lovely dribbles before he crowned the performance by a goal of his own, finishing from close range after a great football move of 19 straight passes by the Gunners with no reply by the Blues. Most know what happened afterwards, the Nigerian shaku-shaku dance by the young forward told the story of his form and confidence.

Similarly, it was business as usual against Vorskla, his third start under Emery after the West Ham United appearance where he was substituted early into the second half for reasons Emery knows best as he had been quite decent. Iwobi neatly setup Aubameyang’s first goal in a flowing Arsenal move started by Mkhitaryan, hit a powerful shot from a few yards out of the box that curled off the post, completed two crosses and created at least four chances in only seventy minutes. He was the quickest running forward, unrelenting in tracking back the few times he had too, confident in his dribbles, taking on defenders directly and simply explosive if I were to use a single word to describe his performance. The Arsenal faithfuls seem to agree with me, calling him out as a man of the match by a mile. The official Arsenal twitter account couldn’t afford to ignore the Nigerian's performance offering plaudits for his excellent stats in 1 goal, 2 assists in only the three matches for the Gunners this campaign.

Emery may still be in the process of figuring out his best XI but Alex Iwobi looks like a name he will have a hard time ignoring.