Is Aubameyang Arsenal's missing piece?

Historically, the forward position has been where Arsene Wenger has shown his true genius as a coach.

From ’99 to ’07, Wenger seemed to have the quintessential striker in Thierry Henry. The Frenchmen (Henry) was certainly a fantastic player in his own right, but undoubtedly benefitted from the tutelage of his French coach.

When Henry felt it time to leave for sunnier skies and Spanish language in Barcelona, Wenger had Robin Van Persie waiting in the shadows. A former left-winger, RVP had been converted by Arsene to play as a target striker in the middle of the pitch.

In both RVP and Henry, Wenger took two talented players and ushered them into a new role, spearheading the Arsenal attack with flair and grace.

Since the Dutchman has moved on to Old Trafford, Wenger hasn’t had the same touch in creating Arsenal’s preeminent striking power.

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For a while, everyone thought it would be Theo Walcott. The Englishman has the out-and-out speed that Arsene so craves, but Theo’s finishing and injuries have hampered him from materializing into Arsenal’s feature man.

Giroud has been a revelation, no doubt, but he is not the person that Arsenal need leading their attack. Giroud is a complimentary striker, like a fine wine that only works when paired with the right cheese. What Arsenal need is a cold-blooded, goal machine with ruthless intent, the fine wine that everyone wants to get their hands on.

It seems Arsene has finally been made aware of this, as speculation and rumor suggest that he is on the lookout for a striker this transfer window. That’s not to say that it hasn’t been his main issue for several years now, but the need seems more apparent this year.

Enter Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, the Gabon international and primary striker for Borussia Dortmund.

Aubameyang is a striker fit into the mold of Walcott. His speed is paramount to his abilities and his running causes nightmares for opposing defenses. When Aubameyang is subbed on in the second half, you can almost feel the opposing back line’s collective sigh as they realize he’ll be running at them the rest of the game.

One fantastic characteristic of Aubameyang is his ability to finish goals that you would expect a top class striker to finish. It may seem an overlooked quality to have, but the ability to finish the chances you are supposed to finish can be crucial when you’re in a Champions League home match against a team you’re supposed to beat, right Olivier?

He won’t dazzle you with shots from distance and his stature is not at all imposing, but Aubameyang offers an understated refinedness and quality to his game. He takes care of his business and will very rarely let you down.

His main flaw that could keep Arsenal from signing him is his ability to disappear into a game. Unlike Henry or Van Persie who both have a burning desire for goals, Aubameyang is much more likely to fade into the run of play and settle back. That has never been a trait that Wenger has looked for in his central striker.

Many sources, including ESPN FC, have reported that Borussia Dortmund have no intention of selling Aubameyang. Dortmund have seen their team torn to shreds over the past several years, most notably by Bayern Munich, and don’t want to see another top class player leave in this transfer window.

Does this mean that Aubameyang has no chance of leaving? Absolutely not. You never have an intention to sell your top players, but sometimes your hand is forced…or money is forced into your hand…

While I don’t think he would be Arsenal’s first choice for replacing Giroud as the number one striker, Aubameyang would provide Arsenal with a different solution to the attacking problem that has plagued them since RVP’s departure. Time will tell if the Gabon man decides to leave for cloudier skies and English language in North London.

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Is Aubameyang Arsenal’s missing piece?

By Curry Goff | Jun 27, 2015