LONDON -- The pre-match message was for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang but we know now he wasn't the only one listening.
Mikel Arteta's decision to strip Aubameyang of the captaincy dominated the build-up to Arsenal's game against West Ham United on Wednesday and could have had divisive effect given the striker's popularity within the squad. Yet it had the opposite impact, galvanising this young group to produce one of their most complete performances of the season to earn a 2-0 win, climb into the top four and offer an exciting glimpse of what life without Aubameyang could resemble.