Lampard Dodges Aubameyang Question Following Arsenal's Poor Performance

Lampard Dodges Aubameyang Question Following Arsenal’s Poor Performance

Chelsea manager Lampard refuses to answer Aubameyang’s question after Arsenal flop Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang Aubameyang had a bad night as Chelsea fell 3-1 to his former team Arsenal.

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard refused to “comment on individuals” when questioned about Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s disastrous return to Arsenal on Tuesday night. Aubameyang was a surprise starter, making his comeback to the starting lineup for the first time since the World Cup, although he was replaced at halftime.

The former Arsenal captain had just nine touches in the first 45 minutes, four of which came from kick-offs. After his absence from the Emirates, the Gabonese international was replaced by Kai Havertz, and the Blues went on to lose 3-1 in north London, thanks to a first-half brace from Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus’ goal.

But the interim Chelsea manager refused to comment on Aubameyang’s performance, despite the fact that he struggled for minutes under Graham Potter before being sacked. When asked if his performance reflected a player who hasn’t played enough this season, Lampard responded post-match to Sky Sports: “I’m not going to comment on individuals in the game.” I’ll discuss a collective and the performance.

“I see what you mean when you say Chelsea fans will complain about the players’ lack of concern. That is not something I believe. They’re young men who want to achieve well for their club. But kids must grasp what that entails every day, from daily training for a game to how you prepare and keep yourself. “These expectations are unequivocal. It’s a group effort. If I were to pick an individual, it would be Noni, who scored the goal and came in and performed like he’d been training. That is an excellent example. He’ll have more chances.”

Aubameyang made his first start since November 6th, again against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. On another night when Aubameyang was brought off early, this time after 64 minutes owing to another anonymous performance, Gabriel Magalhaes scored the game’s sole goal.

Despite joining for less than £10 million, the 33-year-old’s time at Chelsea has been a complete disaster. He has played 960 minutes – the equivalent of 10 and a half full matches – in 21 appearances, scoring three goals and assisting once. Potter also left him out of the Champions League squad for the knockout rounds.

“I think we all know Auba coming in fresh for us in the last few weeks has been – he hasn’t played so much as a number nine which is the main position that you need that sharpness in match days,” Lampard remarked before the game. He showed some of it against Brentford, and he’s a reference, and he’s got a history of scoring goals, which may be motivation for him to play here.”

Before kick-off, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta urged supporters to praise their former center-forward as well as “pay respect” and express “gratitude for what he was,” adding that he was “an incredible player” for the north London club. At the start of the second half, the announcement of his half-time substitution was met with loud applause.

Chelsea were defeated for the sixth time in a row on Tuesday night, with Lampard yet to earn a point since taking over as caretaker manager. They are 39 points behind Arsenal, who returned to the top of the standings with a 3-1 victory.