Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang secured the man-of-the-match award and took home the match ball after netting a hat-trick to sink Leeds 4-2 at the Emirates.
After the game, the captain faced the Sky Sports cameras. Here’s what he had to say…
On scoring a first Premier League hat-trick…
Yeah, I’m happy, really happy. And my kids are going to be happy because they are going to get it [the matchball]. I’m really happy about the performance from the team today. We knew that it was going to be a hard game. They never gave up. In the end, they fought a lot. I thought we had good game management at the end and we won the game.
On the team getting nervous at 4-2…
Maybe…not nervy. As I said, we managed well the end of the game.
On the need to seal a big win at the Emirates…
Sure, I think it was important to show that this is our home, this is where we have to win games. And we did it.
On surprising Leeds keeper Meslier with his first goal…
Yeah, sometimes you have to change the way you shoot. I think the goalkeeper was expecting me to shoot on his left but I changed a little bit. It was a good goal.
On scoring from the spot…
We practise penalties in training a lot. I know how to manage the pressure in that case. We needed that second goal. That’s it.
On the hat-trick meaning more after a tough period for him…
Sure, it means a lot to me. I’m a guy who always works hard and tries to give the best always for, first my family, and my team as well. It’s been a tough time for me but now it’s time to get the smile back and win games and score goals.
On being supported by the club recently…
Definitely, everybody around the club was giving me a lot of love, to me, my mum and my family. I’m really, really happy and proud to be part of this family. I have to say thank you to everyone at the club and to the fans as well because I received a lot of messages. I’m really happy for today’s win and the goals. This is for them.
Good to see vintage Auba back COYG
On to Benfica
one more hatrick and he’s back amongst golden boot 😉
Against Villa we so missed a player who was able to find space in the box. We got in to all manner of good positions but there wasn’t that player to find half a yard. Even Auba himself looked off the pace when he came on.
But about five times today Auba darted away from his man and got away a shot. Many still feel he’s best deployed as a winger but I’m keen, given the glut of talent we have on the wings, to give him a decent run at CF.
So happy for him today. He deserved that.
I’d be curious to see a heat map for him from today. Even though he played centrally, it did seem like the setup was still for him to be a little more out to the left consistently. It worked nicely with Saka and Odegaard filling a little more space in the center-right forward areas, and I’m sure Pepe could do well in that regard, too.
It’s been a long time coming this season as he is a captain who leads by the level of his personal performance rather than an old style “leader on the pitch” shouting and pointing captain.
4 technicians playing behind him, certainly helps
The emergence of Smith-Rowe, loaning Odegaard, and the continuing progression of Saka
Gives us the types of quality technicians that Wenger used to covet
Hopefully Pepe is starting to click now as well
Individual errors have cost us this season, but since Chelsea on Boxing Day, we’re at least starting to see some signs of a team emerging, and we’re creating chances
I’d be tempted for mass rotation on Thursday, then hopefully get Tierney + Partey back for City
Read: “Let’s leave the part behind and look to continue building our future”.
Auba was brilliant today, but credit to Leeds. If they hadn’t continued to compete Auba probably would’ve had four or five…
We played well but brought unnecessary pressure on the team when the Manager decided to play 10 Vs 11 at the later stages by bringing on Willian who contributed next to nothing on the pitch.
What was Pepe doing on the bench? I thought he would have been the right player to come instead of Willian.
This was the perfect game for him tonight, he had all the space in the world out there.
Tony Adams’ comment after that interview was brilliant: “What a lovely man!”
From the very beginning Auba looked on it. He looked focussed, he looked confident. Very happy to see the skipper back in the groove, we’ve missed him badly.
I still always chuckle at practise vs practice 😂
Auba’s the CF in the formation, but he’s attacking from the sides. A great tactical tweak from the gaffer.