Aubameyang axed to protect Arsenal’s future, says Arteta
Manager made shock call ahead of 2-1 win over Spurs Mourinho accuses Bale of lacking ‘intensity’ in defeat
Mikel Arteta said he dropped captain Pierre-emerick Aubameyang for Arsenal’s derby against Tottenham Hotspur to protect the club’s long-term “foundation”.
Arsenal’s top scorer was axed from the team for a breach of discipline, understood to be lateness, but he was not missed as fellow striker Alexandre Lacazette struck a controversial winner from the penalty spot to complete a 2-1 victory.
Aubameyang is not the first player to fail to meet Arteta’s strict behavioural demands, which the manager said are crucial to the club building a sustainable future.
Arteta insisted the issue had now been “dealt with” and said that Aubameyang would still be one of the club’s most important players going forward.
“We deal with the situation on the day,” Arteta said. “That has been done. Now we move on. We know how important Auba is to us and he will continue to be really important.”
On the behavioural standards he sets for his players, Arteta added: “For me it is the foundations and the platform that [allow us to] build something medium and long-term that is sustainable.
“That can bring us joy and happiness. Without that, I don’t believe that it would happen. That is why I keep talking about it and acting on it.”
Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho accused his “important” Tottenham players of “hiding” as their fivematch winning streak ended at the Emirates Stadium.
Mourinho berated his side’s firsthalf performance and accused Gareth Bale and Tanguy Ndombele, who were both substituted after the break, of lacking “intensity”.
The Tottenham manager also railed against the penalty decision, saying it was offensive to spot kicks to even describe the incident as a penalty. Arsenal’s winner came after referee Michael Oliver judged Davinson Sanchez to have brought down Lacazette in the second half.
“We played really bad in the first half,” said Mourinho. “We were poor, defending bad, with no intensity or pressing. Some important players [were] hiding. Really bad.
“We did not have the defensive
intensity to press and to run, to be really aggressive and to win duels and second balls. We did not have any of that.”
Asked why he removed Bale and Ndombele, Mourinho said: “Intensity. We needed more intensity. We needed to press more. We needed to get more depth.”
As well as the penalty, Arsenal benefited from a red card shown to goalscorer Erik Lamela, who was sent off for two bookable offences.
Mourinho said it was a “pity” that referees were not required to do post-match interviews as he complained that he had an unlucky record in games officiated by Oliver.
On the penalty decision, Mourinho said: “What I see from the bench is just a feeling at first. I am 40 to 50 metres away. I did not complain but when I watched it back, it is what it is. If somebody has a different opinion it has to be one of the big Arsenal fans with a season ticket. It is the only one I accept, as it is the passion speaking. Other than that I don’t accept a different view.
“If the players don’t do better it is because they can’t do better. I belong to the team so I am as guilty for the first half as the players but we improved in the second half. Players get tired, coaches get tired, maybe referees get tired too. My record with Michael Oliver on penalties with Chelsea, United and Tottenham is unlucky.”
Mourinho will be sweating over the fitness of key forward Son Heung-min after the South Korean limped out of the first half with a muscular problem.
Arteta praised his side’s response to falling behind to Lamela’s wonderful rabona goal, despite a gruelling trip to Greece in midweek.
“I love the way the team reacted, with the courage they continued to play with and the belief that I was sensing,” he said.
“Hopefully it will increase the level of confidence in the team and the belief that we can play really well against any opponent, that we can beat big teams. We know that we have to put together four or five wins in a row to give ourselves any chance of looking up the table but we are ready for a fight.”