Aubameyang As Arsenal Captain: Emery Explains His Reasons

Aubameyang As Arsenal Captain: Emery Explains His Reasons

The Gabonese forward was named the Gunners’ new captain on Tuesday, a few days after leading the team out against Wolves in a Premier League match

Arsenal manager Unai Emery has cited Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s experience and the respect he has in the dressing room as the reasons for making him the new captain.

Aubameyang succeeds Granit Xhaka as the team’s new skipper after the Swiss midfielder was involved in an awkward row with fans during the club’s 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace a fortnight ago.

Prior to the announcement of Xhaka as Arsenal captain in September, Arsenal players had a blind ballot over the captain’s armband, with the 30-year-old forward coming second behind the embattled midfielder while Hector Bellerin, Alexandre Lacazette and Mesut Ozil were the other notable names.

Ahead of their Premier League trip to Leicester City on Saturday, Emery believes Aubameyang’s goalscoring run might be an additional advantage in his new role.

“He’s the captain. Above all, I can remember how we did the process because last year the captains were Laurent Koscielny, Petr Cech, Aaron Ramsey and Nacho Monreal,” Emery said, per Football London.

“They left the team – at the last moment as well, Koscielny. At that moment I decided, and also I used the characteristics to find a captain. After I started with Granit Xhaka because he has the quality to take the captain’s responsibility.

“Then after the issue, I decided it was better for him not to. Next in line is Aubameyang. The second after him is Bellerin, third is Lacazette and the fourth is Mesut Ozil.

“The first is Aubameyang because he has experience and he has the respect in the dressing room.

“He was the top scorer last year in the Premier League and also I know he needs time to take that responsibility 100 per cent. But we are going to support him.

“Every player, we are going to support the four captains, and we are going to support him as our first captain because he has also made one extra step to achieve that responsibility. But for example, yesterday Sokratis said everybody can take responsibility as a captain.

Aubameyang currently leads Arsenal’s Premier League scoring chart with eight goals in 11 matches, and the Spaniard has assured of him of the team’s support to build his confidence as the captain.

“We want to be a strong family here and I know for the supporters it is very important who is the first face, in front, with the captain’s responsibility,” he added.

“I decided to give it to Aubameyang and everybody also agreed with that decision and now I am telling you he needs time to take that responsibility with confidence, but we give him that confidence, I give him that confidence. He has the quality and the values to do perfectly with that responsibility.”