CLEAN CUT HERO V FLASH SHOWMAN
Aubameyang and Kane vie to be king of north London
ONE is the clean- cut golden boy of English football, the other is a mischievous bad-boy who courts trouble.
But Harry Kane and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have one very significant trait in common: scoring goals. Plenty of them.
The Tottenham striker is the undisputed goalscoring king of north London. Prolific on the pitch, no trouble off it.
But there’s a new man in town. Controversy seems to follow Aubameyang around. If he scores the winner against Tottenham at Wembley today, Arsenal fans won’t care about his previous.
The 28-year- old was suspended several times by former club Borussia Dortmund over disciplinary issues. He turned up late for training and openly flouted club rules. Last year he got into hot water by filming with football freestyler Sean Garnier at the Bundesliga club’s training ground without their permission.
Then there was his Nike- branded goal celebration in which he donned a face-mask promoting the sportswear giants after scoring against Schalke.
Dortmund’s kit deal is with rival firm Puma. Needless to say, the stunt was not well received by his club.
So, what’s the worst that could happen, Arsene? Of course, the Arsenal manager is well aware of Aubameyang’s reputation. Truth be told, Wenger had reservations about signing the flash striker but the Gunners’ recently appointed head of recruitment Sven Mislintat — Dortmund’s former chief scout — vouched for Aubameyang after playing a key role in signing the Gabon star from Saint-Etienne in 2013.
On the face of it, £56million for a worldclass striker seems a no-brainer. But then you do have to ask why Arsenal had a clear run at him last month. So far, though, Aubameyang has been a breath of fresh air.
‘He looks to be a happy boy,’ said Wenger. ‘He has a positive smile and very professional attitude.’
Aubameyang’s piercing speed will provide a new dimension to Arsenal’s attacking game, which has looked stale in recent months. The run and delicate finish over Jordan Pickford to score a debut goal in the 5- 1 demolition of Everton last Saturday was a snapshot of what he has in the locker.
Awesome pace and a killer touch in front of goal — that is music to the ears of Arsenal fans. It also sounds familiar.
‘From all the players I’ve had he reminds me most of Thierry Henry with his quality of runs,’ said Wenger. ‘But it’s a bit too early to compare him to the best player who ever played here. Aubameyang has
played one game. But it’s a good example to follow.
‘His finishing is good. You don’t score by coincidence for so many years. When guys can repeat that at the top level, it means they have that quality.
‘He says Thierry was his role model. That is an ambitious statement but it is a good one. It doesn’t mean he will score as many goals, but why not?’
Wenger is correct, the new man is highly unlikely to match the 226 goals in 369 games Henry achieved in his legendary first spell in north London. But for a club in a deep malaise, Aubameyang’s impact could be as profound.
Outgunning Kane in today’s derby would certainly add substance to the hopes of Wenger.
‘It is too early to say whether he can be as prolific as Kane,’ said the Frenchman. ‘What we have observed nowadays is that scoring goals in other leagues does not necessarily transfer 100 per cent to the Premier League.
‘To be as prolific in the Premier League today is much more difficult.’
Hardly fighting talk from Wenger, but he knows exactly what Tottenham have in their talismanic striker — 35 goals from 36 games for club and country this season.
Kane, 24, is the complete package — a goal machine, leader on the pitch and a public relations dream away from it. He has even pushed Mauricio Pochettino to tears — in a good way.
‘I agree, he is a hero,’ said the Spurs manager. ‘We read the other day an article and we got emotional. He explained his life, how he thinks, how he does everything.
‘He has grown in the last three and a half years and we know how tough it was for him to achieve all that he is achieving now. He is a good example for everyone.’
Meanwhile, Petr Cech is winning his race to be fit for today’s clash after returning to training following a calf injury.
The Arsenal goalkeeper had looked certain to miss the clash but has made a quicker-than- expected recovery. David Ospina is on stand-by if Wenger decides not to risk the 35-year-old.