For 83 minutes of the game against Chelsea on Sunday afternoon, Arsenal were anything but their usual selves. Well-organised, difficult to break down, and with a whole lot more fighting spirit than this past decade put together. Mikel Arteta’s first home game in charge certainly bore a sense of excitement about what the new era could mean for the Gunners, and for the large majority of the contest, the future looked incredibly bright.
They restricted the Blues to just four shots on target over the course of the 90 minutes, won more aerial duels (17) and made double the amount of clearances (20) too. It was a performance built on defensive resilience and a far cry from the side that had conceded a whopping 28 goals in 19 Premier League games prior to the weekend clash.
And no man perhaps epitomised that, then captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Reports in recent weeks have suggested the Gabon international has shelved contract talks with the club as he is not fully convinced of their aspirations to win trophies. Judging by the fact the Gunners still find themselves in the bottom half of the table, that point of view is entirely understandable.
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It would therefore have been so easy for the £63m-rated star to quite simply slack off, earn his pay cheque and then force a move out of the Emirates. But instead, the striker – who continues to show his selfless side by playing out on the left-wing – put in a display that showed he is fully bought into Arteta’s methods and demands. A far cry from his brother’s post on social media appearing to mock the Spaniard’s credentials as a top-level manager.
As per Sofascore, Aubameyang made three tackles, three interceptions (a joint team-high) and two clearances as he never relented in his desire to track back and help out teenager Bukayo Saka at left-back. The former Borussia Dortmund man could have ‘cheated’ on defence and stayed high up the pitch for potential counter-attacks, but instead showed his commitment to the cause by helping out his team.
Before the game, Arteta demanded his players to show some “commitment” and “energy” and how those types of characteristics were simply “non-negotiable”. Having his captain buy into that fully with his performance from a defensive point of view can be a major source of inspiration for the rest of the Arsenal squad that their new head coach is a man who could very well turn things around.
Meanwhile, Mikel Arteta should focus on moulding this Arsenal starlet into a superstar.
