Arsenal: 5 Reasons Why Vardy Is A Better Signing Than Aubameyang

Jamie Vardy</a> of Leicester City and <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2016/06/09/arsenal-5-reasons-why-vardy-is-a-better-signing-than-aubameyang/2/"https://www.whoscored.com/Players/44120/Show/Pierre-Emerick-Aubameyang">Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang</a> of Borussia Dortmund boast outstanding speed. They are always on the shoulder of the defense, looking to stretch the play and get in behind. More than just electrifying pace, though, the two have outstanding goal scoring records.</p> <p>Last season, Vardy scored 24 goals in 36 league games, while Aubameyang bettered that tally with 25 in only 29 league games. The two are similar players, and while many may point to the seasonal consistency of Aubameyang and conclude he is the better player, Arsenal look set to pursue Vardy instead. But is Arsene Wenger making the right decision?</p> <p>Well, here are five reasons why Jamie Vardy would be a better signing than Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang?</p> <div class="next-post amp-get-next-post lg slider"><a class="location" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-post-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2016/06/09/arsenal-5-reasons-why-vardy-is-a-better-signing-than-aubameyang/2/"#"><span class="next amp-next-post-teaser">Next: </span><span class="amp-get-next-post">5. Vardy is English</span></a></div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_43681" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-43681" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2016/06/09/arsenal-5-reasons-why-vardy-is-a-better-signing-than-aubameyang/2/"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%2F2016%2F06%2F538554256-england-training-session-850x560.jpg" alt="" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">CHANTILLY, FRANCE – JUNE 7: Jamie Vardy of England looks on during the first England training session in France ahead of the Euro 2016 at Stade des Bourgognes on June 7, 2016 in Chantilly, France. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h3>5. Vardy is English</h3> <p>There is a definite trend between success in the Premier League and good old English grit. As an Englishman myself, I can vouch for the effectiveness of an English core of a dressing room. It is easy to see the positive impact it has on title winning sides.</p> <p>Leicester this year boast great team spirit partly due to an English core that Vardy is key to. Frank Lampard and John Terry are such examples at Chelsea and Manchester United have always prioritized an English core as evidenced by the class of 92.</p> <p>It is a clearly important factor in a team’s quest to win the Premier League and Arsenal definitely lack in this area. While English players are a part of the squad, they are not key members. Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere and Kieran Gibbs are not regular starters and are more likely to be seen on the injury table rather than the pitch.</p> <p>Vardy would bring a hard-nosed, tough English mentality that is clearly missing from this Arsenal squad. He would become a key player in the dressing room and an influence on and off the pitch. Sometimes, a player’s value to the club is so much more than just his quality on the pitch, and that certainly applies for Arsenal and Vardy.</p> <div class="next-post amp-get-next-post lg slider"><a class="location" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-post-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2016/06/09/arsenal-5-reasons-why-vardy-is-a-better-signing-than-aubameyang/2/"#"><span class="next amp-next-post-teaser">Next: </span><span class="amp-get-next-post">4. Giroud will still get playing time</span></a></div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_43320" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-43320" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2016/06/09/arsenal-5-reasons-why-vardy-is-a-better-signing-than-aubameyang/2/"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%2F2016%2F05%2F531599370-arsenal-v-aston-villa-premier-league-850x560.jpg" alt="Arsenal, Olivier Giroud" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 15: Olivier Giroud of Arsenal celebrates scoring to make it 2-0 during the Barclays Premier League match between Arsenal and Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium on May 15, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h3><strong>4. Giroud will still get playing time</strong></h3> <p>If Vardy is indeed brought to the Emirates, he would not be the automatic starter. In a game where Arsenal will most likely dominated possession with the opposition sitting deep, Vardy may struggle to find the net. His attributes are much more suited to a counter attacking philosophy, something that Leicester used exceptionally well.</p> <p>In the latter half of last season, Leicester were faced with teams that setup more defensively and Vardy’s goals certainly dried up a tad. This is where Giroud comes in. In a game where Arsenal need tight, quick, intricate passing to break down the opposition, there are few better than Giroud, and with Vardy still not proven beyond doubt as a top class striker, Wenger would be allowed to play Giroud without too much backlash from the fans.</p> <p>Aubameyang, on the other hand, would demand starting while he is fit, even against teams where his style of play would not suit the game. Like Vardy, the Dortmund forward enjoys a high pressing, counter attacking style, not a slower, more measured, possession based game. In this scenario, however, Wenger may be forced to start Aubameyang simply because of the name.</p> <p>That is not to say that Wenger is weak willed, but simply, when a player is bought for £50 million plus, they will be expected to start every week, even at the detriment of the team. Giroud still has something to offer Arsenal, but he won’t be allowed to do so if Aubameyang is brought in.</p> <div class="next-post amp-get-next-post lg slider"><a class="location" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-post-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2016/06/09/arsenal-5-reasons-why-vardy-is-a-better-signing-than-aubameyang/2/"#"><span class="next amp-next-post-teaser">Next: </span><span class="amp-get-next-post">3. Vardy has experience of the Premier League</span></a></div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_43684" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-43684" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2016/06/09/arsenal-5-reasons-why-vardy-is-a-better-signing-than-aubameyang/2/"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%2F2016%2F06%2F78647657-chelsea-v-aston-villa-premier-league-850x560.jpg" alt="" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">LONDON – DECEMBER 26: Andriy Shevchenko of Chelsea is pursued by Gabriel Agbonlahor of Aston Villa during the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on December 26, 2007 in London, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h3>3. Vardy has experience of the Premier League</h3> <p>Andriy Shevchenko, Hernan Crespo, Diego Forlan. All three are considered some of the best strikers in Europe over the past decade. All three flopped in the Premier League.</p> <p>English football is unlike any other. It is high paced, high octane, intense and pressured. Many continentally successful players have struggled to adapt to the demanding style of the Premier League. Arsenal have examples of their own, Gervinho, Jose Antonio Reyes and Alexandr Hleb were all considered great buys and they all left as great disappointments.</p> <p>While Aubameyang is a quality player and I fully expect him to handle the pressures of the Premier League – he certainly has the physicality to do so – there is no guarantee in football, and there is definitely no replacement for experience, something that Vardy possesses in spades.</p> <p>While Vardy has only had two seasons in England’s top flight, he has extensive experience of playing at all levels of English football. His now famous meteoric rise has seen him move from Stocksbridge to Fleetwood to Leicester among others. He has played (well) against tough defenders who are there to simply kick him off the field, he has earned his stripes in the lower leagues, and now that experience is paying dividends in the Premier League.</p> <p>Aubameyang may be the more talented of the two, but he is a bigger risk than the English international, and Arsenal need guarantees; a guarantee of goals.<strong> </strong></p> <div class="next-post amp-get-next-post lg slider"><a class="location" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-post-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2016/06/09/arsenal-5-reasons-why-vardy-is-a-better-signing-than-aubameyang/2/"#"><span class="next amp-next-post-teaser">Next: </span><span class="amp-get-next-post">2. Aubameyang is not cost effective</span></a></div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_43685" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-43685" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2016/06/09/arsenal-5-reasons-why-vardy-is-a-better-signing-than-aubameyang/2/"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%2F2016%2F06%2F531017692-borussia-dortmund-players-receive-new-home-jersey-850x560.jpg" alt="" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">DORTMUND, GERMANY – MAY 12: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang revealing the new Borussia Dortmund home jersey, Season 2016-2017 on May 12, 2016 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Alexandre Simoes/Borussia Dortmund/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h3>2. Aubemyang<strong> is not cost effective</strong></h3> <p>While people may deny it for all they’re worth, ultimately, football is dictated by finance. For better or worse, rightly or wrongly, money is the factor that influences everything, and once again, it plays a huge part in this decision.</p><div class="widget fs_ads"> <div class="fs_ad_widget-ad" style="margin:0 auto; width: 300px;"> <div class="fs-ll-ad" data-ad-type="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-vendor="minutemedia"> <div id="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-position="slideshow_inline" data-slot="inline_43667" style="width:300px;margin: 0 auto;"> <script> googletag.cmd.push(function () { googletag.defineSlot("/175840252/fansided.com/PainintheArsenal/mpu",[300, 250], "minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet") .addService(googletag.pubads()); googletag.enableServices(); googletag.display("minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet"); }); </script> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p>Aubameyang is likely to cost upwards of £50 million. That is the going price for top class forwards. Meanwhile, Vardy is cheap as chips in comparison, with the probable figure of around £20 million being quoted as the release clause value in the Leicester City striker’s contract.</p> <p>Ultimately, Vardy will likely be less than half the price, and while straight comparisons should never be made, he is most definitely not half the player of Aubameyang. If Aubameyang were to fire Arsenal to the title, then the astronomical figure that is reported would become good value. There is certainly no value on a Premier League trophy.</p> <p>However, the extra £30-£40 million that Arsenal may have in signing Vardy instead could be invested elsewhere in the squad, positions that are also in need of improvement this Summer. This money could be spent on John Stones, for example, another Englishman with Premier League experience to bolster the center half position.</p> <p>Ultimately, Arsenal can afford Aubameyang, but should they want to, when they can have the same player for less than half the price?</p> <div class="next-post amp-get-next-post lg slider"><a class="location" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-post-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2016/06/09/arsenal-5-reasons-why-vardy-is-a-better-signing-than-aubameyang/2/"#"><span class="next amp-next-post-teaser">Next: </span><span class="amp-get-next-post">1. Vardy is a winner</span></a></div><!—pageview_candidate—></p><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_43686" class="wp-caption aligncenter"> <img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-43686" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2016/06/09/arsenal-5-reasons-why-vardy-is-a-better-signing-than-aubameyang/2/"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%2F2016%2F06%2F529581908-leicester-city-v-everton-premier-league-850x560.jpg" alt="" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img"> <p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">LEICESTER, ENGLAND – MAY 07: Jamie Vardy of Leicester City kisses the Premier League Trophy after the Barclays Premier League match between Leicester City and Everton at The King Power Stadium on May 7, 2016 in Leicester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)</p> </div> </div> <h3>1. Vardy is a winner</h3> <p>Finally, and most importantly, Vardy brings a winning attitude. This is very important as it is something that Wenger has been unable to instill in his players and it has significantly held back this team in recent seasons.</p> <p>This past year, Arsenal should have won the Premier League. However, a dire run from January through to April put an end to any hope the Gunners had of finally ending that Premier League trophy drought. This dire run was not due to a lack of quality players. It is a mentality thing, a winning attitude that for whatever reason, this squad does not seem to possess.</p> <p>Vardy, on the other hand, is a born winner. He has had to work for his success, and now he’s performing at the top level, his experience in lower league football has instilled a drive and determination that breeds winning. It is something that Arsenal certainly do not have, and Vardy would clearly become a major asset in this area for the squad.</p> <p>Moreover, with Aubameyang’s lack of experience in English football, it is unseen whether he too is another talented player who can’t win, or someone who maximizes his quality to achieve success. That is not to say that the Borussia forward is not a winner, but simply, we cannot say for sure. Vardy, on the other, is a leader and a winner, something that Arsenal desperately need.</p> <p> </p><!—pageview_candidate—>">