"They are playing out of their skin" - Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink claims Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta's bold decision has got the team performing again

Arsenal to finish in the top 4 this season?

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has praised Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta for his bold decision to let Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leave. The former Chelsea striker believes the decision to let Aubameyang go has seen other players at the Emirates give it their all to achieve results.

Arsenal allowed Aubameyang to join Barcelona on a free transfer in January after Arteta stripped him of the club's captaincy and froze him from the first team due to disciplinary issues. The striker started his stint at the Camp Nou with a bang, but the Gunners have also done well in this period.

With their 2-0 win over Leicester City on Sunday, Arteta and co. have won five league games on the trot. The Gunners lead fifth-placed Manchester United by a point but have three games in hand.

🍿 Time to enjoy it all over again, Gooners!

😍 Your #ARSLEI highlights are here 📺 https://t.co/ouSlM9oqSX

While speaking on Sky Sports [via Mirror], Hasselbaink was full of praise for Arteta and his decision about Aubameyang. The former Chelsea striker said in this regard:

"He was not leading the team in the way that he should be leading a team. It was better to let him go and get the team together. You can see they are playing out of their skin."

With the win over Leicester, Arsenal moved into the much coveted fourth spot with 51 points from 26 games. Notably, they are one point ahead of Manchester United in fifth place and have played three games less than them. They are in pole position to finish in that spot thanks to their performances since the turn of the year.

Aubameyang left Arsenal after problems with Arteta

Aubameyang signed a new deal in 2020 and was named the new Arsenal captain. However, things turned sour between the striker and Arteta this season, leading to the striker's exit.

⏪ Last time we welcomed Watford to north London…

🚲 Our skipper with the @Auba-head kick 😎

#ARSWAT https://t.co/N21HevKg3b

The Barcelona striker confirmed the exit was all down to his issues with Arteta and said (as reported by the Athletic)

"For my part, I never wanted to do anything wrong. My problem was only with Arteta. I can't say much more; I wasn't happy. It was just him, and he made that decision. He wasn't happy, I can't tell you more. He wasn't very happy, I was very calm. Those were difficult months. This is football. I've never wanted to do anything wrong; it's the past, and I want to think about the present."

Aubameyang had mentioned the message below to Arsenal fans via an Instagram post:

"I have always been 100 per cent focused and committed on doing everything I can for this club which is why leaving without a real goodbye hurts — but that is football. I'm sad I did not get the chance to help my teammates in the last few weeks, but I have nothing but respect for this club and truly wish all my guys and the fans all the best and many successful years in the future!"

Aubemyang has five goals in six La Liga games for Barcelona, while he scored just four in 14 Premier League outings for Arsenal this season. After a torrid calendar year of 2021, Barcelona's fortunes seem to be on the upward curve, having reached upto third in the latest La Liga table.