Forget Wenger: Another reason Arsenal fans should anticipate 2018-19

It is an important couple of months for Arsenal Football Club, with the culmination of this season and the preparations for 2018-19 integral to the side fulfilling lofty ambitions.

After a disappointing domestic campaign, relative success would be salvaged if the Gunners can win the Europa League.

Arsenal have made it through to the semi-finals with little fuss, but face competition favourites Atletico Madrid over two legs for a place in the final.

Lifting silverware, Arsene Wenger’s first European triumph in his 22 years in North London, would be a real tonic for the Gunners fans after inconsistency has led to frustration.

Winning Europe’s second-tier competition would also guarantee a place in next season’s Champions League and restore Arsenal’s place among Europe’s elite.

Regardless of whether this is achieved or not, the Gunners hierarchy have the significant challenge of replacing Wenger, who announced that he will stand down from the manager’s role at the end of the current campaign.

The veteran French coach has been a defining feature of the club over two decades, but the majority of Arsenal fans are ready to say goodbye to their long-standing manager and want change in the dugout.

As such, it is an exciting time to be an Arsenal fan and there are reasons for optimism looking into the short-to-medium term future.

Another key reason that the Emirates Stadium faithful should be quietly confident about next season is the presence of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the Gunners ranks.

The Gabon international was signed by Arsenal in January and although he has not set the world on fire since moving to the Premier League, the signs are there that he can replicate his Bundesliga form in England.

Aubameyang earned the reputation as one of world football’s most-prolific centre forwards during his time at Borussia Dortmund, replacing Robert Lewandowski with aplomb for the Ruhr Valley outfit.

A total of 98 Bundesliga goals in four-and-a-half seasons is an impressive record and the 28-year-old has made a promising start to life at Arsenal.

Aubameyang has netted six Premier League goals in nine outings so far for his new club, in an encouraging entry to English football.

While five of these goals have come at the Emirates Stadium, there is reason to believe that the African hitman can be one of the division’s top scorers next season.

Arsenal have lacked a predatory number nine since selling Robin van Persie to Manchester United in 2012 but Aubameyang can be that man.

Every successful side has a centre forward that scores 20+ goals in a season and although the Gunners are a blistering attacking force at times, providing a clinical edge could take the team to the next level.

Hopes are there that whoever the new manager is, a more-robust defence can be carved out over the summer.

If the new man can sort out Arsenal’s leaky rearguard, there is every reason to believe that Aubameyang, in partnership with Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, can fire the club back into the Premier League title race in 2018-19.

 

 

Written by Gareth McKnight

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