The present form of Arsenal captain, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been a concern to many after signing a new deal.
The Gabonese has scored just two Premier League goals in 10 appearances this season. There is even more concern about Arsenal’s current for in the league as they struggle in 14th place.
After a 1-2 at the Emirates last week against Wolves, Arsenal now has a huge task in their hand with a weekend visit to Tottenham on Sunday. Spurs are currently topping the log with 21 points.
Aubameyang will be leading the charge this time around. Despite being deployed in the middle role, Piers Morgan, an ardent Arsenal fan has said he been displaying ‘worrying’ body language during the club’s recent poor run of form.
How Aubameyang’s form has affected Arsenal run as the goal drought continues
It could be said that Aubameyang contributed almost 50 percent of Arsenal’s goals towards the end of last season as he single-handedly led the Gunners to FA Cup triumph.
But since last scoring from Day One of this season Premier League from open play, his goals have dried up, causing a huge concern for the club having recently pen a new three year contract.
When he scored the spot kick that decided the affair at Old Trafford, many had thought the Gabonese is back on scoring form, but it seems otherwise.
This forced Mikel Arteta to put him in a more central role where he believes he would be closer to the goal, and the result has been futile.
The question now lies with who will be scoring the goals for Arsenal as Aubameyang seemed to have been marked out by opponents.
This question wouldn’t have risen if Arsenal had maintained the Europa League form in the domestic scene where they have score 3+ goals per game in the last four matches.
Now that Arsenal has failed to score from opening play in the last five Premier League games, pressure has continued to mount on the regular provider. According to Morgan, Aubameyang’s body language is worrisome.
“There’s something about the body language, particularly of Aubameyang right now.
“Whether that’s a lack of confidence because he hasn’t scored for a few games, whether there’s something behind the scenes… there’s something going on behind the scenes I think at Arsenal.
“Whether it’s linked to Mesut Ozil and his situation, with £350,000 per week going to a guy sitting there on his Playstation, I don’t know, but it seems to be seeping into this team – a little bit of discontent, a lack of fight, a lack of passion, a lack of coherent tactics, and all these things, we had them a few weeks ago, so they’ve gone somewhere.
“It’s worrying, and I think the most worrying thing for me, as a huge fan of his, is what’s going on with Aubameyang. I’m hoping the sort of pressure and adrenaline rush of the north London derby will stir him back into the form he had last season,” Morgan told Sky Sports News.
The goals against Rapid Vienna on Thursday were shared by Pablo Mari, Emile Smith-Rowe, Eddie Nketiah, and Alexandre Lacazette. The onus now lies on the others to produce goals and reduce pressure on the skipper.
The likes of Nicolas Pepe, who got red-carded for a stupid foul at Leeds, Lacazette, Nketiah, and if given the opportunity, Folarin Balogun needs to start scoring more to show that Arsenal has more than one goal scorer.
But much needed to be done in terms of creativity. The efforts put into the Europa League affair must be replicated in the Premier League to produce adequate results.
Let’s see if the match against Mourinho, who has been one of Arsenal’s nemesis over the years will produce a spark and get Arsenal back to winning ways in the league.
