Was Arteta right to strip Aubameyang of the captaincy

Was Arteta right to strip Aubameyang of the captaincy

By Jonny Bray
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is no longer captain of Arsenal Football Club.
The Gambon international has seen his stock at the club plummet as a combination of poor form and a poor attitude hamper the end of his time at the Emirates.
On Tuesday, the striker was stripped of the club captaincy after arriving home late from a sanctioned trip abroad after misinterpreting Covid-19 protocols.
This isn't the first time he's been in trouble during his time in North London.
He was dropped from the starting line-up for the north London derby last season after turning up late to a team meeting. He was punished for misdemeanours at Borussia Dortmund, and his behaviour when departing the German side was absolutely disgraceful.
So with all that in mind, was Mikel Arteta right to strip him of the Arsenal captaincy?
It's a big decision by the Spaniard, and it all but ends Aubameyang's time at the club.
But other fans are saying this could be the start of a new era at the club.

Does he deserve to be stripped of the captaincy?

Aubameyang wouldn't deserve to be stripped of the captaincy for this if it were a one-off infraction.
However, this wasn't his first offence.
Furthermore, it's a big problem when the man who replaced the player who was stripped of the captaincy is stripped of the captaincy.
For once, it would be nice to see an Arsenal captain who behaves in a way that is becoming of a club captaincy.
The captain sets the tone of the entire club and having Aubameyang in that role at this point just feels like a continuation of a period where most people have looked at Arsenal as a joke.
He's not got the attitude for it.

Is he walking into the team?

In short, no.
Aubameyang has struggled to break into the team, let alone set the league alight with his goals.
With everybody fit, there's a strong argument now that Aubameyang doesn't even play, a shame considering how outstanding he was when he first arrived.
To make matters worse, he's also not the hardest worker, meaning it's not like there are massive benefits to playing him when he's not scoring.
Most would rather see Gabriel Martinelli deployed as a lone striker or Alexandre Lacazette used more for the good of the team rather than his goal return.
Persisting with Aubameyang for the sake of it when he isn't scoring and could damage the harmony in the squad would be foolish.
He hasn't got it anymore; it's time to let him go.

Are there viable replacements?

One of the worst parts of this decision by Arteta is the timing of it all.
We're in the middle of a season, and several players who could be potential captaincy material still look a bit too young at this stage in their careers.
Bukayo Saka, for example, will be Arsenal captain one day.
But at this point in his career, it would be too much too soon, and it could stall his development.
Similarly, Emile Smith Rowe or Rob Holding could fill the role, but is it truly the right point in their careers to take on such responsibility?
Many fans believe his successor should be Kieran Tierney because he is talented, experienced and a genuinely decent human being who Arsenal can trust to represent the club. If Arteta selects him to be captain, his decision to strip Aubameyang of the captaincy may well prove to have been a successful one.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

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