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Arsenal’s post-Christmas resurgence will really accelerate if Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s double in this 3-0 win over Newcastle signals a return to form.
For 50 minutes or so, it seemed likely that it would be another night spent in the shadow of his old self, without confidence and without conviction when opportunities presented themselves.
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With barely a quarter of an hour into play, Bukayo Saka burst into the area and attempted a cross shot that Newcastle goalkeeper Karl Darlow touched with his right foot extended. The ball quickly reached Aubameyang just past the far post at about ten feet and he was only able to deflect his shot from the far post with the goal at his mercy. The speed with which the ball got to him, via a late deflection, offered a bit of mitigation, but it was an opportunity he should have converted and one he surely would have made had he been near his best of late.
Just before the break, Aubameyang had another chance to cut down the left and try his luck, but the 31-year-old was only able to take a tame shot off goal. And so when Thomas Partey released Aubameyang five minutes after the break for another run at Newcastle right-back Emil Krafth, the odds were stacked against what happened next.
Suddenly, old man Aubameyang appeared. The one who helped Arteta and Arsenal thrive on ‘Project Restart’ and helped guide them to final FA Cup success with goals against Manchester City and Chelsea.
The Gabon international lunged forward with intent, slipping the ball to his left foot, and instantly fired a shot past Darlow. It was a reward, especially for his perseverance.
“That’s what he’s done throughout his career and you have to be mentally strong to do it,” Gunners boss Mikel Arteta said. “He has come out of a difficult period. We have been missing his goals a lot. Today he has returned and scored two, and he has helped the team win and that is exactly what we need. So I am very happy for him.” “
It was just Aubameyang’s second Premier League goal since 1 November, but one that eased frustrations on a night in which Arsenal dominated the ball but struggled to translate that superiority on the scoreboard.
Thomas Partey, who made his first start since Dec. 6 after a thigh injury, looked completely calm throughout, missing just three of his 58 passes throughout the night. Tougher tests are ahead for Arsenal’s £ 45m summer signing, but there were encouraging signs given the midfielder’s lack of action due to injury since arriving from Atlético Madrid.
Meanwhile, youngsters Emile Smith Rowe and Saka continue to inject joy into the Gunners’ game, taking advantage of terrible defense and combining for Arsenal’s second.
It was deemed fitting that Smith Rowe continues to show signs of being able to take on a creative mantle once under Mesut Ozil, who is now in Turkey prior to his move to Fenerbahce. Smith Rowe is said to have been one of several young men who looked up to Ozil even during his spell in the desert, but the quickest way for everyone to move on is for the 20-year-old to continue like this.
“The manager tells me a lot to play free, clear my mind and be confident,” Smith Rowe told Sky Sports. “If I make a mistake, he tells me to carry on. I’m very happy to play for a coach like Mikel and to have these opportunities.”
Cedric Soares, selected ahead of Héctor Bellerin on the right back, capped a composite display with an assist for Aubameyang to score a second. It is the first time Aubameyang has scored more than once in a match since the FA Cup final (he was denied a chance to pursue a hat trick after coming out with what Arteta described as a minor “stomach problem”) and Since he signed his new contract in September, there have been accusations in some quarters of a drop in intensity for Gabonese.
However, his tally of just eight goals for the season, including the Community Shield, is the product of a number of factors beyond the loss of confidence, including the poor opportunity creation the Gunners suffered during that period prior to Christmas when they lost five of seven games in all competitions.
Aubameyang has now scored in his last four games against Newcastle and Arteta’s hope will be that this is the start of a renaissance given the tougher opposition lurking: potentially Southampton twice in four days against Manchester United, Wolves, Aston Villa, Leeds , Benfica. and Manchester City.
But everyone has to start somewhere. Steve Bruce made eight changes to the team that lost 1-0 to Sheffield United, but there was little perception by way of reaction and, in the end, he was a good confidence builder for the home team, their fifth win in six games (including their victory in the third round of the FA Cup against Bruce’s men nine days earlier).
This was also Arsenal’s fifth consecutive clean sheet, the first time they have achieved such a streak in 12 years. Aligning that with a revived Aubameyang and Arteta may well be onto something.
