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Martin Keown identifies something Mikel Arteta might do, that will disrupt Arsenal
that removing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s status as captain will prove “disruptive” and could end up being a “distraction” – after the Arsenal man was axed from Saturday’s squad.
Aubameyang, 32, has failed to score a Premier League goal since October 22. He has failed to find the back of the net in his last six games, starting the first five of those. He was only a sub against Everton.
Ahead of Saturday’s 3-0 win over Southampton, the to fly abroad for personal reasons. But he returned to Arsenal late, missing training on Friday.
Having been axed from the squad completely, Aubameyang’s captaincy is now being questioned. Many believe that the Gabon skipper needs to be stripped of the armband, even at this mid-point in the campaign.
Arsenal legend Keown thinks Aubameyang is clinging to the captaincy by his “fingernails”. But Keown also warned Arteta that changing captain in the middle of the season can be incredibly disruptive.
“Aubameyang is clinging to the Arsenal captaincy by his fingernails. What Arteta needs to contemplate is how damaging it could be to change the captaincy in the middle of a season,” Keown said.
“Doing it mid-season seems disruptive. It risks being too much of a distraction. A final warning for Aubameyang and then Arteta can address the issue of who should be his captain in the summer.”
Keown on Aubameyang: Arsenal star could lose more than captaincy
Next summer, that is. Keown is right, stripping Aubameyang of his captaincy next summer is the best time to do it, at the end of the season. But his form is also something that needs to be questioned.
Just four goals in 14 Premier League games, combined with constant examples of breaching rules and discipline, surely Arteta needs to consider selling to veteran striker next summer? Two birds killed with one stone.
