Arteta reveals plans for Arsenal star during Aubameyang’s suspension
Mikel Arteta says Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s three-game suspension doesn’t affect Arsenal’s January plans for Eddie Nketiah.
Aubameyang was given a straight red card in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace for a crude lunge on home midfielder Max Meyer.
The forward will now miss Premier League matches against Sheffield United and Chelsea as well as the FA Cup fourth round clash at Bournemouth , but Nketiah is still set to be loaned out despite the skipper’s absence, with Nottingham Forest, Bristol City and Sheffield Wednesday all said to be keen.
“I didn’t before (think of using Nketiah) and at the moment we have to think mid-long term with Eddie,” said Arteta after the game at Selhurst Park.
“We have to respect his evolution and development, we don’t have to make a decision just based on two or three games.”
Arteta added that he was pleased at Arsenal’s increased show of aggression in the game, despite it partially leading to the red card.
“Absolutely (pleased), I asked them to go 100 miles per hour, chase the ball and be very aggressive when we don’t have it to win it as quickly as possible and they tried to do that,” he said.
“We need to know there are certain areas that we can do that and others against these kinds of teams (where) it’s dangerous because they bring the two centre-backs up, put the ball in the box and we have to defend.
Mikel Arteta details plans for Eddie Nketiah during Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang suspension https://t.co/bWpHO88iPK pic.twitter.com/KGAFCqni8x
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“It’s a consequence of a sequence of things that happen afterwards and we have to know how to play a little bit better in these situations.
“But in terms of effort and the spirit they showed (it was) top.
“It’s game management and we will get better at that in the future hopefully. We need to know at these types of grounds that they (Palace) will put you on the back foot in many situations because they are really good and worked a lot on that.”