Mikel Arteta insists he does not run Arsenal like a dictator, but simply asks for “respect and commitment” from his players after dropping Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from the squad.
Aubameyang was stripped of the Arsenal captaincy this month and has not featured in the team’s last four matches because of a disciplinary issue.
Gunners manager Arteta says he expects the same level of commitment from all of his players, insisting he is not being too harsh on the striker.
What has been said?
“I do not establish my authority by being dictatorial or ruthless,” Arteta told reporters.
“I just ask for one thing: respect and commitment. At this level, if I don’t get that, I will pack my bags and go somewhere else because that is the minimum I can ask for.
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“I am going to expect that from everybody who works for the club. First of all from myself, and the day I don’t do that I will walk through that door and go and do something else. It as clear as that.
“To be successful you have to be passionate about something and want to represent a club of this size, with its history. That is the minimum standard you have to bring. I am not going to ask anybody to put the ball in the top corner every time they hit it, but I will ask them to do the right things every single day for this club.”
How has Aubameyang performed this season?
The Gabon international has scored four times in the 14 Premier League matches he has played in 2021-22.
The 32-year-old has faced criticism this season for his performances, though, notably for missing an incredible chance in the clash against Newcastle in November.
Aubameyang’s contract at Arsenal runs until 2023, but the club could look to sell him soon amid the recent disciplinary breaches.
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