Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been critical of Mikel Arteta since his departure from Arsenal in the last January transfer window. The striker has now gone on to claim that the Gunners’ boss cannot handle big characters and instead focuses on young players.
If this was the case, then Arteta would certainly be justified as just hours after the video emerged on social media as a clip was taken from a video called A Jewellers, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka proved crucial in helping the Gunners beat Liverpool.
Both youngsters have been phenomenal for Arsenal over the last year and a half, with Arteta playing a major role in their development. Aubameyang’s comments were certainly harsh, but the Gunners’ performances this season shows why Arteta was right to offload the former captain in Aubameyang.
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Speaking about Arteta, Aubameyang said: “But to manage big characters or big players, he can’t deal with it,” Aubameyang is filmed saying. “He needs some young players, they don’t say anything, they listen.”
One of the people in the video with Aubameyang says, “But he’s the one who had the problem with [Mesut] Ozil right?” To which the former Arsenal striker nods and says, “Yeah.”
Martinelli and Saka certainly falls under the young players who listen category which Aubameyang claimed. But, Arteta and Arsenal are benefiting from the influence the youngsters have had on the squad which proved in the victory over Liverpool on Sunday.
Saka had 43 touches, 15 final third passes and scored two goals, which made him the match-winner after he scored a clutch penalty in the last 10 minutes of the match to give the Gunners a 3-2 lead.
Meanwhile, Martinelli had 54 touches, he created two chances and registered a goal and an assist. The Brazilian was a threat from kick-off as he set the tone for the match with his goal after 58 seconds of the match.
90min have reported that Arsenal are pushing hard to tie Saka, Martinelli and William Saliba down to new long-term contracts. The report goes on to claim that Edu believes all three deals are on the right track, with the Gunners hopeful that all three will have put pen to paper by January.
It's clear that people around Arsenal support Arteta and his decision to give players such as Saka and Martinelli a major role in the side, despite Aubameyang criticising the Spaniard. And it is impossible to disagree with Arteta when the Gunners currently sit at the top of the Premier League after nine fixtures and have looked convincing in almost every performance.
The fact that Saka and Martinelli only cost £6m shows why the trust in Arteta has been justified. The young players who listen to Arteta are currently the high-flyers in arguably the best domestic league in football.
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