3 reasons why Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang should be stripped of the Arsenal captaincy after disciplinary issue against Southampton. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
While Arsenal may finish the season without lifting a trophy, when the Amazon All or Nothing documentary comes out it will win every award going.
The campaign had suffered one of what will be one of many bumps in the road with three defeats in the previous four matches, including the horror show on display at Goodison Park. It left a lot hanging on Saturday’s game.
Mikel Arteta has come under severe criticism for his tactical approach, among other aspects, and while he never looked in fear of losing his job, he sure was under threat of losing more supporters.
With preparation for the game already poor, another spanner was thrown in the works. If the situation wasn’t bad enough, the manager confirmed that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had been left out of the squad due to a ‘disciplinary breach’.
3 reasons Aubameyang should be stripped of the Arsenal captaincy after disciplinary issue against Southampton
Naturally there was wild speculation as to why that had been, with the captain not even attending training on the Friday prior, perhaps due to demands of the manager. David Ornstein clarified the matter.
His report read: “The Athletic understands he was given permission to fly abroad for a personal matter. However, he returned later than agreed, leading to his exclusion from the squad.
“His late return had implications for Arsenal’s COVID-19 protocols.”
It’s not a good look. With Arsenal suffering a setback in their season, having to instruct the captain not to attend training and then be left out of the entire squad for a pivotal Premier League encounter, questions over Aubameyang’s claim to the armband once again emerge.
He shouldn’t be wearing it anymore. This is not what is expected of the skipper of this football club. Here is why.
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 14: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal watches from the substitutes bench during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. (Photo by Chloe Knott – Danehouse/Getty Images)
1. This is Not Aubameyang’s First Infringement
This is arguably the biggest issue of all. Players can get away with the occasional breach if it’s out of character or merely down to, for example, being stuck in traffic on your way to a game.
Last season Aubameyang arrived late to the North London Derby. That alone was completely inexcusable. This just adds to it.
On that occasion he was just left out of the starting lineup and not the squad, but it was a timely reminder of his responsibilities as the captain. No player, no matter how much money they may be on, is due special dispensation.
Certain managers allow it. Arteta is continuing to have questions asked of his man-management skills, with other bosses knowing how to work with certain personalities and handle big characters. There is every chance that Arteta has played some role in his with his treatment of individuals – which is speculative – but when he arrived he set his stall out from the off that he would have his own ‘non-negotiables’.
For the second time, that we know, Aubameyang has acted outside of them. That is not who you want representing this team, regardless of how cheerful he may be and whether or not he is as lovely of a man as he seems from the outside looking in.
Continued on next page…
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<p>— Football Daily (@footballdaily) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/11/arsenal-aubameyang-stripped-captaincy/"https://twitter.com/footballdaily/status/1469670151478026246?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>December 11, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
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<h2>3 reasons Aubameyang should be stripped of the Arsenal captaincy after disciplinary issue against Southampton</h2>
<p>Naturally there was wild speculation as to why that had been, with the captain not even attending training on the Friday prior, perhaps due to demands of the manager. <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/11/arsenal-aubameyang-stripped-captaincy/"https://theathletic.com/news/pierre-emerick-aubameyang-left-out-of-arsenal-squad-after-returning-late-from-trip-abroad/oc2d0GL5wv2L/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">David Ornstein</a> clarified the matter.</p>
<blockquote><p>His report read: “The Athletic understands he was given permission to fly abroad for a personal matter. However, he returned later than agreed, leading to his exclusion from the squad.</p>
<p>“His late return had implications for Arsenal’s COVID-19 protocols.”</p></blockquote>
<p>It’s not a good look. With Arsenal suffering a setback in their season, having to instruct the captain not to attend training and then be left out of the entire squad for a pivotal Premier League encounter, questions over Aubameyang’s claim to the armband once again emerge.</p>
<p>He shouldn’t be wearing it anymore. This is not <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/11/arsenal-aubameyang-stripped-captaincy/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/04/arsenal-senior-players-ruining-team-auba/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">what is expected of the skipper</a> of this football club. Here is why.</p>
<div id="attachment_121649" class="wp-caption aligncenter">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-121649" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/11/arsenal-aubameyang-stripped-captaincy/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1307095968-850x560.jpeg" alt="Arsenal, Auba" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 14: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal watches from the substitutes bench during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. (Photo by Chloe Knott – Danehouse/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>1. This is Not Aubameyang’s First Infringement</h2>
<p>This is arguably the biggest issue of all. Players can get away with the occasional breach if it’s out of character or merely down to, for example, being stuck in traffic on your way to a game.</p>
<p>Last season Aubameyang arrived late to the North London Derby. That alone was completely inexcusable. This just adds to it.</p>
<p>On that occasion he was just left out of the starting lineup and not the squad, but it was a timely reminder of his responsibilities as the captain. No player, no matter how much money they may be on, is due special dispensation.</p>
<p>Certain managers allow it. Arteta is continuing to have questions asked of his man-management skills, with other bosses knowing how to work with certain personalities and handle big characters. There is every chance that Arteta has played some role in his with his treatment of individuals – which is speculative – but when he arrived he set his stall out from the off that he would have his own ‘non-negotiables’.</p>
<p>For the second time, that we know, Aubameyang has acted outside of them. That is not who you want representing this team, regardless of how cheerful he may be and whether or not he is as lovely of a man as he seems from the outside looking in.</p>
<p><em>Continued on next page…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/11/arsenal-aubameyang-stripped-captaincy/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 2. One very clear reason </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-121650" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/11/arsenal-aubameyang-stripped-captaincy/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1292399291-850x560.jpeg" alt="Arsenal, Auba" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 13: The back of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal wearing a rainbow captains armband in support of the Stonewall rainbow laces campaign during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Burnley. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images )</p>
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<h2>2. Aubameyang is Not a Leader</h2>
<p>Pretty straightforward, right?</p>
<p>What is a captain, at least historically? They are a leader. They are Patrick Vieira, they are Tony Adams. Heck, they’re Cesc Fabregas who, despite his age, was the talisman of the team and led in his own way.</p>
<p>We can question whether it was a mistake to hand Aubameyang the captaincy in the first place, but truth be told it was slim pickings. A side lacking in out and out leaders (who weren’t Granit Xhaka) the natural handover of the armband went to the guy who was the best player in the team and scoring all the goals.</p>
<p>It was very much a ‘you will do’ move. And a fairly understandable one.</p>
<p>But with such a young squad for this <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/11/arsenal-aubameyang-stripped-captaincy/"https://www.90min.com/leagues/premier-league" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Premier League</a> season in need of a vocal and commanding presence to guide them and, well, lead them, the quiet and generally quite shy figure of Aubameyang isn’t the player you’d ideally want shouldering that responsibility.</p>
<p>Fans aren’t privy to behind the scenes stuff (until the documentary) and for all we know the armband might mean next to nothing in the grand scheme of things: just because he is the captain doesn’t mean he leads on the training pitch, for example.</p>
<p>It does, however, feel like the time for someone else to step in.</p>
<p><em>Continued on next page…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/11/arsenal-aubameyang-stripped-captaincy/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> 3. It might help Auba </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_121284" class="wp-caption aligncenter">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-121284" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/11/arsenal-aubameyang-stripped-captaincy/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1352348002-850x560.jpeg" alt="Arsenal, Auba" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 07: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Arsenal and Watford at Emirates Stadium on November 7, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>3. Aubameyang Might Benefit From Not Being Captain</h2>
<p>Not one to do all the media duties after matches, being the captain in the team nonetheless calls for Aubameyang to be the face of the club in various other media roles. Behind the scenes he will need to take on the usual responsibilities of acting as the captain.</p>
<p>Perhaps stripping away all those additional elements not relating to football could do him some good. <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/11/arsenal-aubameyang-stripped-captaincy/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/08/arsenal-difference-aubameyang-lacazette/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">He’s in drab form</a>, struggling for confidence and is not getting any younger.</p>
<p>Ridding him of the responsibility of being captain might lift a weight off his shoulder. He’s got one more season after this one to go, and if his full focus can simply be on hitting the back of the net with more regularity then…he might actually hit the back of the net with more regularity.</p>
<p>Not looking like he can score in a month of Sundays, while we sometimes mention how the badge weighs heavy on some players, the armband could be doing likewise for Aubameyang.</p>
<p>It’s not an excuse for him, far from it, and discussions before the season resulted in the 32-year-old stating his desire to act as a leader in this group moving forward.</p>
<p>Him scoring goals will go a long way towards Arsenal having a successful season. Let that be the focus.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Player ratings vs Southampton" data-url="https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/11/arsenal-player-ratings-southampton/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/11/arsenal-aubameyang-stripped-captaincy/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/11/arsenal-player-ratings-southampton/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Player ratings vs Southampton </a> </div>
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<p>Can we see it happening? Unlikely due to what disruptions it could cause. But it should.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
