Remarkable for Auba to turn up late

LAST year we heard how Mikel Arteta had introduced a ‘Wheel of Fortune’ punishment system into the Arsenal dressing room. If a player breaks the rules — such as by rocking up late for training or letting his mobile phone interrupt a team meeting — then his penalty is determined by the spin of the wheel. He might land on a modest fine, or he might be told to tidy up the dressing room or even made to clean staff members’ cars. It sounded like a light-hearted way of Arteta reminding his players of the importance of remaining professional. I imagine an extension of the Arsenal manager’s disciplinary code is that if you’re late on the day of the game, you don’t start. Timekeeping is important to Arteta. If Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang turned up late yesterday — which is utterly remarkable for a captain to do on the day of the North London derby — then Arteta had no choice. What message would it send to the others if Arteta didn’t follow up on his own code? We aren’t privy as to why he might have been late but word has it this wasn’t his first infringement of this kind. Aubameyang signed a super new deal not long ago. The least a player can do in return is show some professionalism.