Aubameyang is Back in Form! Did the Gabonese Find his Team?

Since the beginning of this season, 34-year-old Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has scored 19 goals and provided 8 assists in all competitions - the same as in the last two full seasons of his career!

The last time Aubameyang scored so much was in Barcelona (he scored 13 goals in six months in the Catalan capital). Still, after his failure at Chelsea, few believed in Auba again. He was courted by clubs in Saudi Arabia and MLS. Still, in the end, the forward chose Marseille and the familiar French Ligue 1, where he had previously played for Saint-Etienne.

It is worth noting that the Gabonese's start to his career on the French Riviera didn't go well: he scored few goals, often disappeared on the field, and wasn't himself. However, the former Marseille head coach Gennaro Gattuso promised in one of his interviews to "do everything to bring Aubameyang back."

The Italian specialist worked seriously on the team's playing structure: he abandoned plans to play with four defenders. He switched to a more flexible system with three midfielders. This gave more freedom to the wingers, and Aubameyang formed a partnership with Vitinha. The coach's tactical experiment was successful - Aubameyang started scoring goals in bunches again. Gennaro himself commented on his protégé's success: "I told him his time would come. The moment has come. We see the real Pierre-Emerick now. It couldn't be otherwise."

Gattuso's recent dismissal did not affect the striker's form. In three matches after the coach's resignation, he scored four goals! This is despite the change in formation (to 4-3-3) and role (closer to the left wing).

Considering that Marseille got Aubameyang for free, this is one of the best transfers of the season.

Published by Patrick Jane
10.03.2024