AUBA AND OUT
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang axed from Arsenal squad for Southampton clash due to ‘disciplinary breach’
ARSENAL captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been DROPPED from the squad following a 'disciplinary breach', manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed.
The Gunners skipper did not even make the bench for the Gunners' Premier League clash against Southampton at the Emirates on Saturday afternoon.
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And when asked why the forward would play no part in the match, Arteta revealed it was a disciplinary matter.
Speaking ahead of the game, the Spaniard said: "Unfortunately due to a disciplinary breach.
"I think we have been very consistent that we have certain non-negotiables in the team that we have set ourselves as a club, and he's not involved today."
This is not the first time Aubameyang has been dropped by Arteta for off-field issues.
On the day of the North London derby last season Arteta axed the Gabon captain from the team after he arrived late for the game.
But media personality and die-hard Arsenal fan Piers Morgan was not pleased with Arteta's decision to leave Aubameyang out of his squad.
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He said: "I don’t like the way Arteta treats @Auba [Aubameyang].
"The guy’s one of the best strikers in the game & has scored a barrel-load of goals for us.
"When a player like that goes through a lean patch, a top manager tells the world how brilliant he is - he doesn’t drop him & belittle him."
However, former Arsenal player Paul Merson feels Aubameyang is to blame for some of the problems at the club.
Speaking on Sky Sports, he said: "It is a young team, there's a lot of young players whose form is going to dip here and there - it's not going to be as consistent.
"The problem is with the older, more experienced players - ain't good enough. Your captain is Aubameyang, he's on the big wages. You can't play him at Everton because you don't trust him.
"For me, he's the problem. He's the one - these young kids look up to him. He's the superstar, he gets the big money, he's the star player.
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"Every time that Arsenal play well Aubameyang's on it. He's closing down, he's scoring goals and all the youngsters follow him. They all go bang, bang, bang.
"All of a sudden when he doesn't the players get lost."
Arsenal currently sit seventh in the Prem table having picked up 23 points from their opening 15 games.
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