Arsenal must drop misfiring Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang against Everton in the Premier League and start Gabriel Martinelli at centre-forward. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
It’s a very real debate. One that has been rumbling on for a number of weeks but now has to be taken into serious consideration: should Arsenal remove Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from the starting lineup?
Trying to decipher just why Aubameyang has been so frighteningly off the pace in recent weeks can only be put down to a systematic issue for so long. When he isn’t getting the chances then what is an on-the-shoulder striker expected to do?
Well, he is getting the opportunities to score, and he’s missing them.
Putting in one of his worst performances of the season at Old Trafford – key words being ‘one of’ – there was little room for mitigation as balls pinged off him with regularity, his involvement in the build-up was clunky and his finishing was woefully lacking in conviction.
Arsenal must drop misfiring Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang against Everton in the Premier League and start Gabriel Martinelli at centre-forward
Aubameyang does not look himself, and he hasn’t for a while. Delving deep into the analysis to figure out just why, the bottom line is that he isn’t producing. Having always been a low touch player but one with incredible success in front of goal, when he starts becoming a medium touch striker since a low amount of touches won’t produce a goal, something has got to give.
Taking on Everton in the Premier League on Monday signals time for change. Not necessarily a permanent change, but a change nevertheless.
Arsenal have to start making use out of their centre-forward. Even if he isn’t contributing with goals, having someone occupy dangerous central zones and offer no threat in them is hindrance on a team that is finding its feet in the creative department.
While there are still major issues in how Arsenal react in positive game states, they’re at least creating chances: they recorded 18 shots at Old Trafford and had eight on target. Five of those were for Aubameyang, of which four tested David de Gea – ‘tested’ might be a touch kind.
There are ways to take him out for the Everton game without completely disrupting squad harmony and causing a gigantic controversy. Arteta can label it as rotation and the need for freshness, masking over his non-involvement as being due to the demanding fixture list. It can be done without a meltdown.
In order to see what can happen with a functioning centre-forward, Gabriel Martinelli should be brought into the team. There are plenty of reasons why.
Continued on next page…
#MUNARS</a> 👈 <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/04/arsenal-drop-aubameyang-start-martinelli/"https://t.co/tq2AK64HBB">pic.twitter.com/tq2AK64HBB
<p>— Arsenal (@Arsenal) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/04/arsenal-drop-aubameyang-start-martinelli/"https://twitter.com/Arsenal/status/1466481168782659585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>December 2, 2021</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/04/arsenal-drop-aubameyang-start-martinelli/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></div>
<h2>Arsenal must drop misfiring Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang against Everton in the Premier League and start Gabriel Martinelli at centre-forward</h2>
<p>Aubameyang does not look himself, <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/04/arsenal-drop-aubameyang-start-martinelli/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/04/arsenal-senior-players-ruining-team-auba/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">and he hasn’t for a while</a>. Delving deep into the analysis to figure out just why, the bottom line is that he isn’t producing. Having always been a low touch player but one with incredible success in front of goal, when he starts becoming a medium touch striker since a low amount of touches won’t produce a goal, something has got to give.</p>
<p><a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/04/arsenal-drop-aubameyang-start-martinelli/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/04/everton-arsenal-premier-league-preview/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Taking on Everton in the Premier League</a> on Monday signals time for change. Not necessarily a permanent change, but a change nevertheless.</p>
<p>Arsenal have to start making use out of their centre-forward. Even if he isn’t contributing with goals, having someone occupy dangerous central zones and offer no threat in them is hindrance on a team that is finding its feet in the creative department.</p>
<p>While there are still major issues in how Arsenal react in positive game states, they’re at least creating chances: they recorded 18 shots at Old Trafford and had eight on target. Five of those were for Aubameyang, of which four tested David de Gea – ‘tested’ might be a touch kind.</p>
<p>There are ways to take him out for the Everton game without completely disrupting squad harmony and causing a gigantic controversy. Arteta can label it as rotation and the need for freshness, masking over his non-involvement as being due to the demanding fixture list. It can be done without a meltdown.</p>
<p>In order to see what can happen with a functioning centre-forward, Gabriel Martinelli should be brought into the team. <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/04/arsenal-drop-aubameyang-start-martinelli/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/04/2-standout-arsenal-stars-man-utd-defeat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">There are plenty of reasons why</a>.</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/2021/12/04/arsenal-drop-aubameyang-start-martinelli/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Martinelli must start vs Everton </a>
</div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_121376" class="wp-caption aligncenter">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-121376" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/04/arsenal-drop-aubameyang-start-martinelli/"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%2F1356847694-850x560.jpeg" alt="Arsenal, Gabi" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 02: Gabriel Martinelli of Arsenal controls the ball in the air during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford on December 02, 2021 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)</p>
</div>
</div>
<h2>Gabriel Martinelli Must Start at Centre-Forward Against Everton</h2>
<p>There can be no room for passengers. Aubameyang has never fit that term more than he is now; the team is carrying him just as he’s holding the rest back. It should more closely resemble the other way around.</p>
<p>But let’s not kid ourselves, the options are striker are mostly poor.</p>
<p>Eddie Nketiah just is not it, Alexandre Lacazette has been moved further away from goal since he can’t score, and Martinelli is a inside forward. There is a lot of belief in him to be a striker among the fanbase, although this writer sees him at his best on the left.</p>
<p>However, nobody can confidently claim that Martinelli in the No. 9 role can be any worse than what this team is currently experiencing. Aubameyang is missing a gluttony of presentable chances. Put Martinelli in those positions and you’d be backing him to score.</p>
<p>Whether he has the nous to be there is a different matter. It isn’t as binary as stating that ‘Martinelli would have scored that’, as positionally he could have been somewhere else entirely.</p>
<p>He does deserve to start though, or at least be given 30 or so minutes far more regularly. The issue is that if fit both Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka have to play. Therefore, the only reasonable place for him to play is through the middle in place of Aubameyang.</p>
<p>It’s worth giving a go. Opposition sides won’t expect it, and his constant running in behind and engagement with his defender is the level of proactivity that the side isn’t getting with Aubameyang. The key difference is that Martinelli is always doing something even when he isn’t doing anything.</p>
<p>Both will press like monsters and look engaged, but in terms of actually impacting the game and disrupting defences, Martinelli will provide a different string to the attacking bow.</p>
<p>Just try it out. It’s not like some kind of <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/04/arsenal-drop-aubameyang-start-martinelli/"https://www.90min.com/leagues/premier-league" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Premier League</a> free hit decision where if Arsenal lose it doesn’t matter. Of course not. Everton are in such atrocious shape and Martinelli has such a fire in his belly that this has the scope to <em>improve </em>Arsenal. Nobody is giving up on the game, it’s a decision to try and win the game.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Everton vs Arsenal prediction" data-url="https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/04/everton-arsenal-premier-league-preview/" 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/2021/12/04/arsenal-drop-aubameyang-start-martinelli/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/12/04/everton-arsenal-premier-league-preview/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Everton vs Arsenal prediction </a> </div>
</div>
<p>Against a beleaguered Toffees side, it’s more than worth exploring.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
