Aubameyang’s numbers that prove Arsenal need to spend big
Robin Bairner
- 3 Dec 2021 14:01 CST
- 3 min read
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang may be Arsenal’s captain, but he is also proving to be a big problem for the North London side.
The Gabon international saw his drought of Premier League goals extended to five matches during Thursday’s 3-2 defeat at Manchester United – a match in which he passed up a glorious second-half chance.
While his effort may have been ultimately disallowed for offside, Aubameyang’s failure to finish typifies his struggles in front of goal this season.
With the halfway point of the season quickly approaching, he has just four Premier League goals to his name, including just one against Arsenal’s direct European competitors.
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Aubameyang’s poor record
It was once Arsenal’s flaky defence that was regarded as their soft underbelly, now it is their impotent forward line.
If the Gunners are going to take the step up to become genuine top four contenders, it is a problem that must be solved. West Ham and Manchester United, their likeliest contenders for a Champions League spot, both far outstrip them in this regard, while Tottenham will surely improve upon their feeble goal return this season under Antonio Conte, particular as Harry Kane will surely come good.
Across at the Emirates, there are far fewer guarantees over Aubameyang.
Since signing a new contract with Arsenal in September 2020, he has returned only 13 Premier League goals and has laid on just four more directly. Eight players returned more last season alone, while Mohamed Salah has already reached that mark in 2021/22.
A strike rate of less than one goal every three games – Aubameyang has 13 in 41 – is simply not enough for an Arsenal side rebuilding otherwise nicely under Mikel Arteta.
Select Players Since 15 September, 2020
| Name | Goals | Assists | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mohamed Salah | 32 | 14 | 46 |
| Harry Kane | 24 | 19 | 43 |
| Michail Antonio | 16 | 9 | 25 |
| Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang | 13 | 4 | 17 |
| Edinson Cavani | 11 | 4 | 15 |
Little wonder, then, that the Gunners have looked at their rivals and believe they need a prolific scorer.
Manchester United, of course, have Cristiano Ronaldo, Tottenham have Harry Kane and even West Ham have Michail Antonio, whose figures of 16 goals and nine assists over the last 15 months surpass those of Aubameyang.
Whether it is Fiorentina’s Dusan Valhovic, Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin or someone else entirely, this Arsenal squad is one screaming out for a goal scorer – and it may well be at the expense of the misfiring Aubameyang.
