Unai Emery admits Aubameyang took a risk with penalty decision

Arsenal News

Unai Emery admits Aubameyang took a risk with penalty decision

Arsenal manager Unai Emery has revealed that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was the designated penalty taker for the recent Premier League clash against Aston Villa and he took the risk of handing Nicolas Pepe with the spotkick. The Gabon international has been a revelation for the Gunners since his arrival from Borussia Dortmund, and he recently scored his seventh goal of the season as the north London side sealed a stunning 3-2 comeback win over the Villains.

Speaking after the game, Emery was asked whether Aubameyang was the first-choice penalty taker in the club’s ranks and he replied in the affirmative. He added that Aubameyang took the risk of offering the penalty to Pepe to boost the Ivorian’s confidence and he is happy that the decision paid off for the Gunners on the day.

He told: “Yes, it’s Aubameyang who is responsible for penalties. Also Lacazette, and today for me is a very big decision from Aubameyang to let Pepe shoot to give him confidence and the possibility to score. Really, the responsibility is Aubameyang and I was happy when I saw that decision from Aubameyang. He is hungry every day to score, to achieve, individual and collective objectives. Today that decision shows a really great player.”

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Pires impressed with the performance of Arsenal’s Matteo Guendouzi

Arsenal legend Robert Pires has appreciated the performance of Matteo Guendouzi in the aftermath of the north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur. The Gunners were culpable for individual defensive mistakes during the first period and that cost them dearly with Spurs scoring twice within the opening 41 minutes.

Alexandre Lacazette managed to reduce Spurs’ advantage before the break and the comeback draw was sealed in the second half where Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored off a sublime assist from Guendouzi. The Frenchman did not have the best of beginnings to the encounter but he picked up his performance shortly after the Gunners went 2-0 down.

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Emery pays tribute to Aaron Ramsey after injury concludes his Arsenal career

Arsenal manager Unai Emery has paid tribute to midfielder Aaron Ramsey after it was confirmed that a hamstring injury would rule him out for the rest of the season. The Wales international picked up the muscular problem during the Europa League quarter-final clash against Napoli and tests have revealed that he is unlikely to recover before the campaign concludes.

Speaking in a press conference, Emery confirmed that the attacker won’t be featuring for the club anymore following the injury, considering he has agreed to join Juventus at the end of the season, he said: “We can’t use him, injuries come for players like that and we have players who can play. But he was in a good moment when he took this injury.

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Alex Iwobi insists Mesut Ozil always creates chances for Arsenal

Arsenal winger Alex Iwobi has spoken about Mesut Ozil in the positive light by saying that the German footballer has always been producing chances on the playing field. The 30-year-old has earned his fair of criticism from the Gunners’ faithful over the past 18 months but Iwobi has stressed that the midfielder remains a vital figure in the club’s ranks.

In a report covered by The Mirror, Iwobi said that Ozil has always been a creative player in the Gunners attack, though the supporters have not entirely appreciated his showing, he said: “Fans sometimes don’t appreciate what he gives to the team. I don’t know the stats but with Mesut in the team you are always going to get at least three chances a game from him. He always provides an excellent pass or something, a good move or play that leads to a goal, or almost leads to a goal. Mesut is a great player and he also works hard off the ball.”

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Arsenal Head to Dubai for Warm Weather Training

The international break for Arsenal comes at a crucial time with the team having to prepare for the Europa League and the Premier League with utmost sincerity. Even though in number of regular first-team players have been on international duty, manager Unai Emery has decided to use the break in order to schedule a warm weather training camp in the Middle East. Arsenal recently took 23 of the players for this trip to Dubai, where they have been able to schedule a friendly match against Al Nasr. This match will be on a Tuesday before Arsenal get back to England so that they can return to Premier League action.

Aside from this friendly match, Arsenal will be involved in a number of open training sessions in this trip. Manager Unai Emery says that he is very confident that it was a good decision to pick an abroad destination to boost the morale of the players. The final leg of the 2018-19 campaign promises to be quite interesting, as Arsenal have been able to close the gap on the top three places with great consistency in the last few months. The Gunners are now just one point behind Spurs coming into the international break. Since the pressure will be high in the next two months of action, this break serves as a great way to get some fitness and rejuvenation under the belt.

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Unai Emery drops update on Arsenal transfer plans

Arsenal manager Unai Emery has revealed that the club have plans of reinforcing the squad during the winter period, although they are unlikely to pursue their recruits with ease. The Gunners have been vastly hampered in the defensive and attacking departments in the current campaign and the likes of Rob Holding and Danny Welbeck already ruled out for the season.

Speaking to reporters, Emery acknowledged that the Gunners are looking to strengthen their options this month and he remains optimistic that they can do so, he said: “It’s not easy to change or improve our team with the possibilities in the transfer market, but the club is working. We are looking at different possibilities. Maybe we can improve in the transfer market if we get the opportunity. Maybe we can sign one or two players, but it’s not easy.”

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Unai Emery believes Alex Iwobi can still improve

Arsenal manager Unai Emery has said that Alex Iwobi still has room for improvement despite making another notable impact from the substitutes’ bench. The Nigeria international was handed a fresh long-term deal during the summer and he has since been a player transformed with his workrate and distribution catching the eye of the faithful and pundits alike.

Against Liverpool, Arsenal appeared on course to suffer a 1-0 defeat on Saturday but Iwobi came off the bench to make the crucial impact after he provided the through ball for Alexandre Lacazette, who levelled the scores with a sublime curler from acute range after beating goalkeeper Alisson Becker.

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Martin Keown: Arsenal should build the team under Alexandre Lacazette

Arsenal legend-turned-pundit Martin Keown has praised the attitude of Gunners striker Alexandre Lacazette after starring during the 3-2 triumph over Cardiff City. The France international had impressed from the bench in the first three league games and this earned him a start versus the Bluebirds against whom he contributed a goal and an assist.

Writing in his Daily Mail column, Keown was impressed with the way the Frenchman has performed since the start of the campaign and believes the Gunners should build the team around the former Lyon man, he penned: “I think special mention has to go to Alexandre Lacazette. How patient has that man been? His attitude has been impeccable.

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Matteo Guendouzi confirms he snubbed big club interest to join Arsenal

French midfielder Matteo Guendouzi has confirmed that he snubbed advances from Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund among others to join Arsenal this summer. The 19-year-old was a rather surprise signing from Lorient last month but he has since adjusted fantastically to become one of the regulars under manager Unai Emery.

Speaking to The Evening Standard, Guendouzi confirmed that there were plenty of suitors for his signature but ultimately, he had no second thoughts about heading to the Emirates Stadium. He added that former Gunner Jeremie Aliadiere also encouraged him to join the north London giants, he said: “It’s true there were a lot of clubs interested in me — I had talks with some of the biggest clubs in Europe.