December 18, (THEWILL) – As the fallout over Pierre-Emerick Auabmeyang’s omission from the squad continues, Mikel Arteta believes he has faith in Arsenal’s leadership group.
After breaking disciplinary regulations, the Gabonese international was stripped of his club leadership and barred from first-team training.
He did not play in Arsenal’s win over West Ham and will be unavailable against Leeds on Saturday night, with Alexandre Lacazette, who is out of contract in the summer, carrying the armband for the last three games.
Speaking specifically to the situation and how they have handled it, Arteta said: “We have other captains and there is a list of captains for a reason because a player maybe starts not to play, a player gets injured, and then the other players have to take that responsibility.
“In order to do that, you don’t want that to happen overnight.
“That’s why you have a leadership group because they are constantly making decisions, they are constantly communicating with myself, the coaching staff and the club in many other aspects, and they have to be used to taking that responsibility and leadership.”
While Arteta acknowledged that people make mistakes, he emphasised the club’s previous leniency towards Aubameyang saying: “Absolutely. I think we all make mistakes. I always believe that everybody has the right intention – even if you have made a mistake.
“You have to understand that probably what for you is a mistake, for someone else is just a normal thing because they come from a different background, or culture, or education, and I am completely open to that – and I think we have shown that on many occasions.”
Aubameyang is unlikely to feature in Arsenal’s winter fixtures, preferring to focus on staying healthy for Gabon’s participation in the Cameroon 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which begins in January next year.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
