IT'S possible Alexandre Lacazette is feeling a little left out at the Emirates Stadium right now. For the last two-and-a-half seasons, the Frenchman has been able to count on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as his closest accomplice. But while the duo are still the first to choreograph a new handshake or celebration, Aubameyang has a new partner in crime in the form of a pasty, somewhat unpolished Scot who carries his kit in a supermarket shopping bag.
Kieran Tierney and Aubameyang are something of an odd couple in recent weeks, but there’s no doubting the understanding between them. The two players are on the same wavelength. Their partnership has added a new dimension to Arsenal’s wing play and to Arsenal’s attacking play as a whole. The Gunners are a more potent, even better balanced side, with Tierney and Aubameyang on the pitch together.
Their newly forged relationship was evident in Arsenal’s final day win over Watford, with Aubameyang assisting Tierney and Tierney assisting Aubameyang in a 3-2 victory. It was also obvious in the Gunners’ FA Cup semi final win over Manchester City, particularly in the scoring of Arsenal’s second, when the left back set the Gabonese striker through on goal with an exceptional pass in behind from deep.
vs. Man City
⚽️ Tierney → Aubameyangvs. Watford
⚽️ Aubameyang → Tierney
⚽️ Tierney → AubameyangA new partnership developing on the Arsenal left. pic.twitter.com/4zMyo0OFv8
— Squawka News (@SquawkaNews) July 26, 2020
If Arsenal are to follow that up with a victory over Chelsea in Saturday’s FA Cup final, they will need something close to a repeat performance from the pair who may now be their two most influential players. Chelsea have their own weapons, but Aubameyang and Tierney are capable of harming any opposition side. Whoever starts on the right side of the Blues defence this weekend will have their work cut out.
“I think I can talk for all the staff when I say we are delighted with him. He’s a joy of a kid,” Arteta recently gushed about Tierney, signed for just £25 million from Celtic last summer. That deal now looks to be a real bargain and has set a precedent for Arsenal in the transfer market. The Gunners could do with striking a few more deals of that ilk this summer as they attempt to overhaul their squad.
“He’s always willing to do more, he always wants to train harder, he wants to push himself more. He had some difficult moments since he joined but hopefully he feels [settled]. We really like him and we really support him. I really appreciate everything he’s done since we joined. For me, he’s a player who is a really good role model for any other player in the squad.”
Tierney has become the individual embodiment of Arteta’s ‘New Arsenal,’ with the Scot driven, humble, energetic and determined to improve with almost every match he plays. Aubameyang stands as the best of ‘Old Arsenal,’ but a vestige of ‘Old Arsenal’ nonetheless. For the Gabonese forward, Tierney has eased the transition between old and new.
Aubameyang has still to make a decision on his future at the Emirates Stadium. It’s widely believed the 31-year-old wants Arsenal to prove to him that they are heading in the right direction, whether that be through performances on the pitch or through signings made in the transfer market. He wants the right people around him and Tierney certainly fits the bill.
Victory over Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday would be a symbol of how far Arteta has taken Arsenal in a very short space of time and the relationship between Aubameyang and Tierney is an illustration of what the Spaniard wants from his team. Great football teams are founded on the basis of the connection between players within it and in this partnership Arsenal have something genuine to build around.
