Auba struggles on shambolic Sunday: What we learned from Arsenal vs Wolves

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Auba struggles on shambolic Sunday: What we learned from Arsenal vs Wolves

By Paul Martin

The dreaded Sunday evening slot produced yet another tepid Arsenal performance at the weekend as Wolves followed Leicester and Aston Villa in leaving the Emirates with three points.

A serious injury to Raul Jimenez following a sickening clash of heads with David Luiz led to a long delay in the first half but it was the visitors who settled quickest after that, opening the scoring through Pedro Neto.

Gabriel’s bullet header levelled matters but Daniel Podence's well-taken goal put Wolves back in front before half-time and they held on against a powder-puff Arsenal side again showing a lack of quality in the final third.

Here are three things we learned following another poor display…

Aubameyang continues to look a shadow of himself

When your star striker has fewer touches in a game than your goalkeeper, something is not right.

Whether played on the left or down the middle, Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang has not been at it this season and his lack of confidence was shown by the header he sent wide from a gilt-edged opportunity late on against Wolves.

He remains without a Premier League goal in open play since the opening day win at Fulham and if Arsenal's other strikers were in form, there would perhaps even be a case for dropping the Gabon international.

As it is, however, Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are not doing enough to bang the door down and Arteta will hope the big occasion brings out the best in Aubameyang in next weekend's North London derby – an occasion plenty of Gooners will spend this week dreading.

Europe a long way off

Roy Keane may have had tongue firmly in cheek when he said Arsenal 'will have enough to stay up' – but the league table doesn't lie.

The Gunners are as many points off the top of the table (8) as they are away from the bottom three after their worst start to a season in the Premier League era.

The fact Arsenal's latest defeat came a year to the day since Unai Emery's sacking only served to emphasise how little progress has been made in that time when it comes to establishing Arsenal as a force to be reckoned with in the top flight.

The congested nature of the league table in this bizarre season means Arsenal are only a good run away from contesting for the European spots again – but the prospect of stringing together a series of wins looks a long way away at the moment.

Concussion substitutes a must

Quite how and why David Luiz was able to remain on the field for the remainder of the first half following his collision with Raul Jimenez is a mystery – and one which could have had dangerous consequences.

Rugby and cricket have introduced concussion substitutes and football doing likewise is long overdue. Despite what Troy Deeney may say, it cannot be left to the players themselves to decide whether they are well enough to carry on.

Luiz may have passed the concussion protocols but the spectacle of him playing on with blood seeping through his bandage cast football's concussion guidelines in a shoddy light.

Rob Holding replaced the Brazilian at half-time but how much simpler would it have been were he allowed to have done so at the time of the incident, allowing Luiz to get properly assessed in the dressing room? The situation needs to be addressed and if this incident is the one which ensures it is, then some good will at least have come from a horrible moment.


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