Are Arsenal and Aubameyang better off apart?

Aubameyang

By Kit Shepard

When a relationship ends on bad terms, a common trope is that whoever is less successful in the aftermath was wrong. What happens, then, when both sides thrive after the break-up?

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Arsenal have both improved since the striker left the club under a cloud last February. So, was anyone at fault, or are the pair better simply better off apart?

 

Why did Arsenal let Aubameyang go?

There was a time when Arsenal letting Aubameyang leave by mutual consent would have been unthinkable. After arriving in North London in January 2018, the striker was initially superb.

He had netted 70 goals for the Gunners and was club captain by the end of the 2019/20 season, a period that culminated with a brace in the FA Cup final victory over Chelsea. Aubameyang was Arsenal’s main man.

However, that was as good as it got. He scored only 15 times in 2020/21 and the drop in production continued this season. Off the field, the situation was worse.

Repeated disciplinary breaches saw manager Mikel Arteta leave him out of matchday squads on multiple occasions, and resulted in him being stripped of the captaincy in December 2021.

By the start of February, Aubameyang and Arsenal had mutually agreed to part ways and the striker was picked up by Barcelona.

After signing for the Spanish juggernaut, Aubameyang offered a glimpse into his frosty final days in England: “For my part, I never wanted to do anything wrong. My problem was only with Arteta.”

Aubameyang 2

A divorce made in heaven

Arsenal have been excellent since Aubameyang moved on.

Since his last game for the club, a dismal 2-1 defeat at Everton, they have won 11 out of 17 games.

In the period following his departure, they have won six out of seven, only losing to title-chasing Liverpool.

Out of nowhere, Arsenal have gone from top four hopefuls to the side widely recognised as the favourites for the Premier League’s final Champions League spot.

Beyond the numbers, Arsenal have been a joy to watch.

Their attack features exciting young players such as Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe.

This quartet plays fluid, exciting football and appears to revel in the team’s success.

It is a stark contrast to the 32-year-old Aubameyang’s dour performances towards the end of his time in North London.

Equally, Aubameyang is a rejuvenated man in Spain.

He is yet to lose in 11 games for Barcelona, winning eight of them, and has scored nine goals.

As he showed intermittently for Arsenal, he can deliver on the big stage, with two goals and an assist helping his new team to a stunning 4-0 victory away to age-old rivals Real Madrid in March.

Much like Arsenal, Barca have cemented a place in the top four and a Champions League spot is theirs to lose.

With both parties thriving after the break-up, it seems Arsenal and Aubameyang are better off apart.

 

But still…

The great irony of Aubameyang’s renaissance is that Barcelona are in a similar situation to Arsenal.

Both clubs are packed with youthful talent, are looking to rebuild after years of decline, and aim to make the top four this season.

Each side even has a former player in charge, with Barca legend Xavi rapidly joining Arteta as one of Europe’s most promising young managers.

The parallels make it tempting to wonder whether Arteta and Aubameyang, for all their disagreements, could have made it work.

The player has shown that he can operate in a squad with many of the same attributes as Arsenal’s.

What’s more, the Gunners could use another genuine centre-forward, even if Alexandre Lacazette has had a better season than his six goals suggest.

Was a change of scenery necessary to get the best out of Aubameyang?

Perhaps it was. Aubameyang made mistakes at Arsenal and Arteta, for better or worse, refused to tolerate them indefinitely.

This was a relationship that made sense in theory, and worked in practice for some time, but was simply not meant to last forever.

While it is impossible to say whether the pair are better off apart, they undoubtedly do not need one another to succeed.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

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