Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta says that Pierre Emerick Aubameyang will not be available for Saturday’s trip to Leeds. The striker was stripped of the captaincy this week and was omitted from the match day squads for the victories against Southampton and West Ham United.
In his pre-Leeds press conference, Arteta confirmed, “Aubameyang is not available for this game.” The Spaniard refused to be drawn on whether the captain had a long-term future at the club, simply repeating, “He is not available for this game and that’s it.”
Arteta also confirmed that he will continue with his shared approach to the captaincy for the time being, though Alex Lacazette has taken the armband for the last two games.
Asked what Aubameyang would have to do to become available for selection, Arteta again kept his cards close to his chest. “He is not available for Leeds and that is the situation.” The coach also insisted that Lacazette’s contract situation would not be influenced by Aubameyang’s exile.
“Laca is always playing with great commitment, we spoke over the summer and we both know the situation and he has always been an important player under me. But his contract situation is something separate (to Aubameyang).”
This has got an ominous feel. If he has annoyed Arterta to the degree ha appears to have done it’s difficult to see a way back and with the money he’s on its difficult to see any team willing to take him off our hands. That leaves us with an out of sorts player on big money hanging around the training ground for a season and a half, which by anyone’s standards is not ideal.
Given his recent form at least this way he’s not a detriment on the pitch.
The club has shown recently it won’t keep toxic situations hanging around, even if that means taking a loss and paying a portion for the player to ply their trade elsewhere. If that is where this is headed, that is.
I’m an Auba fan but I’m not against Arteta on this. We won against West Ham first of all. My fear was that Arteta is too much of a disciplinarian and maybe that’s still true. But winning is the requirement and I don’t care if £300k is on the bench or in the Christmas party budget provided we win.
Wonder if it’s a vaccine thing? Maybe he’s fallen foul if misinformation and won’t get jabbed? Dunno. Probably not.
If this is the case Xhaka should be rotting in our reserves.
What misinformation exactly? That you can still spread the virus despite getting “jabbed” which is a fact? Or that it is possible there are side effects for some people (which is a possibility for all vaccines).
Probably not eh.
Getting jabbed reduces transmission. Side effects are minimal. But hey ho, people are people.
Getting jabbed reduces transmission?Ireland with a 97% vaccination rate, has one of the highest transmission rates in Europe. Further, long term side effects are unknown.
Unknown but likely to be zero, like all other vaccines. However, I think we can safely say that the long term side effects of getting Covid are well known and serious
That applies to adults only. Children make up 25% of the population.
Where exactly are you getting this information from? Highest transmission rate in Europe? As an Irish person living in Ireland, this is news to me. There is no European wide standard in testing regime, Ireland test quite a lot, with some test centers inundated with people queueing for tests. Other countries dispensed with this sort of mass PCR testing a year ago, relying on free home anitgen tests instead in some cases. So without a standard pan European testing regime, we actually can’t compare test figures across counties in a meaningful way. ICU and death rates, for sure we can… Read more »
Ireland has a 79% 1st and 73% 2nd dose vaccination rate, which is pretty high. You can check this on Wikipedia. Nowhere in the world has 97%.
Long term side effects of getting severe covid are very well known. The hospitals are filling up with the un-vaccinated as their symptoms are usually so much worse.
Please be careful what you post.
While we’re on the vaccine talk, can we also acknowledge that no talk of even a second shot was brought up when the vaccines were released? And that it’s a bit bizarre that fourth shots will come into the conversation soon enough, without question?
And if it had a lower rate of vaccination, then transmission there would be even higher. It reduces it. No-one is claiming it stops it. It does make you 32 times less likely to die, as well. But you still can die, too. This is the real world!!
No it doesn’t reduce the risk of transmission but hey ho!!!
Vaccine reduces the likelihood of contracting severe symptoms, the viral load in infected person, and probability of transmission. Risk of transmission is not eliminated but it is reduced… after vaccination you are less likely to display symptoms.
A symptomatic patient coughing is more likely to spread the virus, but also more likely to isolate and be tested. Where things get complicated is that people can carry the virus, show no symptoms and innocently infect others. So maintain good hygiene and where a mask when appropriate.
Is this ArseBlog or CovidBlog .. ??!!
Just asking, for a mate…
It’s the unpredictable side effect of COVID.
do go spew out your misinformed drivel elsewhere
Thats misinformation. Please educate yourself and follow the science.
Does it really? Are you sure? Are you just believing what you’re told? We have been told a lot, which hasn’t been true
There’s so much research out there. Actual, peer reviewed research about the vaccines.
There’s also actual factual stuff going on like Matt Hancock giving corrupt contracts to his mates, the Tories mired in sleaze and corruption. It’s happening right there, documented, in front of our eyes.
Yet people are more interested in these vague conspiracy theories? Is it because they’re completely unprovable? Somehow romantic or dramatic or exciting? It’s so depressing when there is so much so evidently fucked up about our society that people spend their whole time worrying about stuff that is fictional.
Here we go. Somebody has a different opinion from you, therefore those two words “conspiracy theories” gets thrown out there.
I’ve just said what I’ve seen and heard. The government have said things which haven’t been true.
Open your ears/eyes and have a bit of back bone.
It’s funny that you think these people involved in all this “sleaze and corruption” are really here for the people.
Well said morrisey, the main person to potentially benefit from the vaccine is the person taking it (won’t stop the spread of it) but there is the genuine risk of side effects!!! The main reason the government plug it is to reduce the numbers going into hospital!!!
And what’s wrong with that? Not taking up a hospital bed because you body can handle COVID better due to the vaccine is as logical and unselfish a reason to get jabbed as I can think of.
I think you misunderstood, the government view is if everyone got vaccinated it would reduce hospital cases – irrespective of whether it is necessary!!! It is necessary to stop people that would be greatly impacted by covid – i.e with underlying health conditions but for the rest? Not so sure
Vaccine side effects normally show within the first two weeks. We’re now a year on from the first vaccines and people are still banging on about ‘unknown side effects’. Understand science and you’ll understand why misinformation is so retarded.
There are plenty of known side effects and the ones that have died from a blood clot due to the vaccine probably wouldn’t have bothered if they had been told the risks!!! There is a reason why the AZ vaccine was pulled – we were all guinea pigs!!!
But overall, way less people die of a blood clot (which is fucking shit and unlucky) than go on to die from Covid. So statistically it’s still really really sensible to get the vaccine. But yeah, it’s not 100% risk free. Nothing is!
Risk of being hospitalized or dying from a blood clot within 28 days of getting Astra-Zenica COVID vaccine (the vaccine with the highest risk of blood clots): 66 out of 10 million.
Risk of being hospitalized or dying from a blood clot within 28 days of positive COVID test: 12,614 out of 10 million.
Science.
I gave that as one example, there are plenty more – whatever you decide is a risk!! Btw there are staff in the NHS who are angry at being forced to have the vaccine or be out of work, they have information from people in the know that we (assuming we are all Joe public) don’t have!!! Why would they feel that way if the benefits were so convincing?
You gave that as one example because you thought it best illustrated the potential harm done by getting the vaccine. It doesn’t. That suggests that you don’t really know what you’re talking about.
Normally!!!
Terrible governments and evil scientists. How dare they try and stop me getting horribly ill.
I don’t have kids but if I did I would make sure they had the chance to get Measles Mumps and Rubella just like in the good old days.
I hear they are now trying to prevent people getting polio too, when will the madness end?
This is sarcasm in case anyone doesnt realise.
Anyway COYG!
Sarcasm, the lowest form of wit!!!
By the way, if anyone is looking to these or any other online forums for vaccine information, you are looking in the wrong place. Please look to your medical professionals -real ones, not online hacks and political activists- and health departments for information and recommendations.
We’re all just a bunch of half-informed or misinformed assholes online. Or worse; people with the intention of misleading you for political reasons and no concern for your actual health.
/notsarcasm
i also liked the article written by Andrew Allen 😉 haha
This is all round crazy. Laca is definitely not getting a new contract. Not with what has happened with Ozil and Auba in quick successions now. I think this might be the reasoning behind Nketiah’s continued integration. Say Arteta sees Martinelli as a wife forward. We can only then afford to go for a marquee CF. Having Nketiah and Balogun as depth isn’t such a bad idea as against having only Nketiah. Maybe he sees Nketiah as a direct replacement of Auba in that they both don’t contribute much to build up but with the hope that Nketiah might turn… Read more »
wide forward ffs!
as against having only Balogun. 🤦🏾♂️*
Wife forward sounds interesting though…
I’d be more inclined to play a system with the civil partners providing the width
I wouldn’t be surprised if Lacazette is offered a contract extension.
Nah!
we’re gonna offer $50M plus Auba for Haaland, once we get into ECL next season😜 Sell Laca for $10 in January.
Haaland might be possible if Kroenkes chip in 50 mil, plus Auba 20 mil, Laca 10 and Pepe 30. Then we can have Odegaard captain Haaland 😉
Hope so, 1 year extension would be great business for us.
Cheese and bread I hope he doesn’t see nketia as direct replacement. We are in trouble if he does. Nketia is not at level we need and I doubt he ever will be. Wish him well.
This is beginning to look like there’s been much more going on behind the scenes than we know. He came late, it was repeated offence, so normally some kind of sanction follows and then things get back to normal. In this case now though, it must’ve been something else as well. Maybe his reaction to the whole thing and behaviour post-return from his trip? Stripping him of captaincy and missing what will now be 3? matches with no further explanation does hint at something bigger than just coming back late. However, as Tim said in his great column yesterday, I… Read more »
Laca has certainly earned his spot in the first 11 this week but there’s no doubt that the squad is stronger with Auba than no Auba at all. Even as an option off the bench that is still a superb ace up the sleeve. Leeds away is a banana skin. A below-par performance and you’re looking at a 0-0 and the Arteta Out Brigade crying for Auba back in the team and demanding Arteta’s head. Would love to see him back at #9 against Sunderland on Tuesday and this drama fades away before he leaves for AFCON. It just wouldn’t… Read more »
Your logic would be reasonable if we were talking pre- new contract Auba. But let’s be honest, he’s been shit for about 18 months now. A case of the Ozil-itis if ever there was one…sign the big contract and then do fck all. Arteta will learn from this. But it’s still disappointing to see Aubamayang behave this way. He was the captain ffs. That still means something.
An insane thought but does anyone get the feeling that he may be gearing up for a Jan transfer?
Barca’s financial problems are well documented but with Aguero forced into retirement, they may be looking for an emergency replacement. May explain some of the unwillingness to discuss it candidly atm?
If we are able to get Barca to buy him, or take him on loan at least, we should be begging them to do so! However, they are skint!!
This is no worse than the Ozil situation. It’s better if anything because I’m sure Auba still has something to offer someone at the top level, for a team that would tolerate him. We already needed a new striker as well, so facilitating a potential exit hopefully shouldn’t be too hard a problem.
Top four and all the money on Haaland 🙌🍻
This is just the same passive-aggressive tactic employed against Özil that is being used against Aubameyang. None of the much-publicised “character flaws” were an issue when the club was desperate to keep him. Now that they’re terrified they won’t get a return on their investment, they’ve resorted to back-hand tactics. Mikel and Co have made a big point about maintaining standards and being “transparent” regarding Auba but they wouldn’t even tell us what our season targets were. Very cowardly stuff from Mikel and the club management. I doubt any of the fans justifying the club’s actions would ever want to… Read more »
You don’t give that kind of contract for a player of his age if you’re looking for a financial return on investment. You’re very clearly looking for that investment to be what he gives you on the pitch, not a transfer fee.
None of that makes any sense.
“What a joke” made a bit of sense. The rest made me a bit dizzy.
Absolute gibberish.
My take is that this is something that started after the Manure game, when Auba was subbed, and Nkietah took his place. Auba must have not liked it. Arteta kept him on the bench against Everton but brought him in as a sub after Nkietah, Auba must have not liked it. Arteta tried to cover it as much as he could see https://arseblog.news/2021/12/arteta-reveals-nketiah-talks-are-ongoing-dismisses-auba-rift/ Auba was allowed to travel after the game, he was late and that did not help. He was not selected for the match against Southampton. Auba stuck to his guns, and he was stripped of captaincy ahead… Read more »
Are you the “All or nothing” cameraman?
If he’s not available for Leeds, and he leaves for the Afcon before the New Year, that doesn’t leave many matches–especially since some of those may very well be postponed because of covid outbreaks. Although I did not think so before, it does begin to look like he will not play for us again.
From a management perspective, we have to respect the fact that Arteta has established standards for all players regardless of wage packet. I do wonder if keeping him out of the squad is serving not only the master of Arteta’s accountability system, a bell that tolls evenly for all, but also another master of not making the team overly dependent on a player of diminishing returns who is about to disappear for the better part of the month in a crucial part of the season. Like it or not, the team has found an identity quickly in the absence of… Read more »
This seems more than a ‘turning up late’ issue. Like Pepe (still stand by my unfounded theory that he called Arteta a shit manager) i think Auba has had a personal falling out with Arteta.
When he’s banging in goals, auba’s loose sand languid style doesn’t grate. When he’s not, I’m sure a guy like Arteta can’t excuse it. As a fan, I struggle with liking him at times. I want a killer’s killer if that makes sense, not some casual sometimes-assassin. It’s a matter of preference for me, perhaps arteta as well. Pepe is a player of similar affect to auba and….
Pardon the typos, I’m *at least* half in the bag
Ozil was and Niles is like that also.
I know we aren’t really given to nuance here, but can we at least agree that doing nothing and banishing Auba from the squad forever aren’t the only two options?
This was a disciplinary infraction, but Arteta seems to regard it as a personal slight.
It was fascinating to see Tuchel saying how Auba being late was not the end of the world at Dortmund.
I come here for a bit of Arsenal related banter not for COVID news we have enough of that in everyday life can we park it here 🙏
Auba (again) not even on the bench? Does the club really need this level of brinkmanship (again)? Okay, so he maybe breached some “non-negotiables” or whatever. Now he’s had the arm-band taken off him and been dropped for a couple of matches. But what purpose is to be served by continuing to humiliate the guy?