The Pierre generosity of Gunners
WHO SAYS nice guys finish last? Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang seems to be one and he is on course to end up sixth in May.
The Arsenal forward passed up the chance of a hat-trick so strike partner Alexandre Lacazette could get a goal.
And on the day when the £56million January signing from Borussia Dortmund paid tribute to his late grandmother by having her name, Marina, etched into his hair too.
It was a touching end to an Arsenal performance that began soporifically, became truly awful but came to life 15 minutes from the end when the hosts were awarded one of two penalties.
Lacazette, on as a sub for his first appearance since February 10, won the second himself and was allowed to convert it too.
“I know Alexandre is back and I had scored twice already so I knew it would be good for his confidence,” said Aubameyang.
Nice club Arsenal. Nice quiet fans – during matches anyway – and nice lads playing for them who often do not like to hurt the opposition with anything resembling a tackle.
Strikers at other clubs – the ones who win trophies anyway – are more likely to fight each other if a spare spot-kick comes up for grabs. “That shows the state of our society that when people are generous they are surprised,” said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, right. “Even more when it is footballers and when it is strikers even more.
“I wasn’t surprised because I know they have a good understanding. I like that because it can only make the team stronger. I think it’s great.”
The opening goal by Aubameyang was the one that mattered, of course.
Up until then secondbottom Stoke, with just one win since Christmas, had been holding their own in the hope of a rare point at the Emirates.
But referee Craig Pawson ruled Bruno Martins Indi’s challenge on a previously inert Mesut Ozil was a foul in the box when the VAR system, had it been in operation, would probably have decided otherwise.
Aubameyang sent Jack Butland the wrong way and beat the England goalkeeper again soon after when Stoke’s defence finally forgot to pick him up in the box.
Badou Ndiaye was at fault for the second penalty, bundling Lacazette over carelessly, but the game was already lost by then.
Stoke looked every inch a side doomed for the drop. Plenty of effort but no real belief that they could beat the hosts who had Thursday’s Europa League first leg with CSKA Moscow on their minds and played like it for the first 45 minutes.
The Potters had a couple of ‘might-have-been’ moments both involving Xherdan Shaqiri. First he sent a curler just wide of David Ospina’s right-hand post when the game was just a few minutes old. And after the break his swirling corner deceived the goalkeeper, who was in because Petr Cech has a groin injury, only to see it bounce off the far upright. Arsenal’s opener quickly followed after Butland had made a smart stop to deny Aubameyang. Martins Indi got a toe on the ball but had been coming in from the sort of angle that often has referees reaching for the whistle. Stoke deflated as soon as they fell behind and are therefore one step closer to the drop that manager Paul Lambert insists will be avoided. “I’m 100 per cent confident we will stay up,” he said. “I thought that when I came in and nothing has changed my mind. “We never deserved a 3-0. The first goal was always going to be crucial. The one thing that’s missing from our game at the minute is Lady Luck. “I thought the players were brilliant. Performance-wise, I couldn’t have asked for more. I have won games here and come here and drawn and not played as well as that.”
ARSENAL (4-3-3):