## The Unlikely Playmaker: Aubameyang's Single Assist at Marseille
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s loan move to Olympique de Marseille in the second half of the 2022/23 season wasn’t primarily noted for his creative genius or knitting together intricate attacks. The prolific forward arrived from Barcelona seeking goals, not assists. Yet, amidst the mixed results of his personal scoring record in Ligue 1, he did contribute one crucial key pass leading directly to a teammate finding the net – registering exactly **one official assist** during his time with l'OM.
This single assist came on Matchday 26 against Clermont Foot (a 2-1 victory). It highlighted a fleeting moment of typical Auba brilliance: receiving the ball cleverly inside the box and laying it off perfectly for Valentin Rongier to slot home Marseille's second goal. While far removed from elite playmaker statistics – legendary attackers like Messi or De Bruyne rack up such numbers routinely – it stood as proof he could contribute beyond just finishing chances himself. For context, across all competitions that season for Marseille (totalling 19 appearances), **only that solitary assist was recorded**.
### Why So Few? Tactical Fit & Natural Instincts
Explaining this low return requires understanding two factors:
1. **Positional Role:** Manager Igor Tudor deployed him almost exclusively as a central striker. His primary instructions were to press aggressively, hold up the ball when possible, and convert opportunities – roles defined by arriving in the penalty area, shooting,La Liga Highlights or winning fouls. Dropping deep to retrieve possession and initiate buildup plays isn't inherent to this role.
2. **Natural Predator Instinct:** Aubameyang is fundamentally a poacher. His exceptional speed, anticipation, and clinical edge make him hunt goals relentlessly. When teammates created chances, his first impulse was always to shoot, rarely looking to square or slip a pass sideways. His decision-making prioritized shots (he took 57 during his loan!) over setups.
### Significance Despite Scarcity
That single assist against Clermont remains significant. It demonstrated that even while struggling for consistent form and burdened by tactical expectations misaligned with his strengths, he retained the unselfishness and vision to serve a teammate when the opportunity presented itself perfectly. More importantly, it underscored how Marseille acquired him: as a goal machine, not a creator. His impact was measured primarily through attempts on target (many) and goals scored (five in Ligue 1), not distribution maps. The rarity of his assist tally simply reflects the nature of his game and the position he occupied at Stade Vélodrome.
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