MY ACCOUNT
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has not discussed the idea of selling captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the January transfer window, but has acknowledged that the striker is going through “difficulty”.
Aubameyang was named on the bench for the Gunners’ 2-1 defeat at Everton on Monday, and only came on late in the game, missing a good chance to equalise in the closing seconds at Goodison Park.
The 32-year-old, who signed a new three-year contract at the Emirates Stadium in September last year, has scored just four times and assisted once in 14 appearances in the Premier League this season, averaging a goal every 259.75 minutes.
Aubameyang’s goal return rate has been decreasing at Arsenal for the last few years, averaging a goal every 105.8 minutes in his first half season in 2017-18, followed by a goal every 124.14 minutes in his first full season, then one every 142.64 minutes in 2019-20, and every 233.6 minutes last season.
However, his manager has vowed to support the former Borussia Dortmund man, saying at a media conference on Friday ahead of the weekend’s clash with Southampton: “Obviously, when a player is not scoring it’s affecting his confidence, it’s affecting the mood and probably the belief, but you have to rebel against this situation, don’t accept it and feel sorry for yourself.”
When asked about his relationship with his captain after dropping him for the Everton game, Arteta added: “I have a very good relationship with my players.
“Everyone has to understand that I always do the best for this club and for this team. And often if that can benefit any individuals, I will always do it. The decisions are not personal; the decisions are just to get a performance, and the best out of the team. That’s it.”
Aubameyang has been linked with a move away from Arsenal in January, which was put to Arteta at the media conference.
“Really, we have never discussed something like this,” he said. “And when players are under difficulty – or the team is under difficulty – what we have to be is supportive.”
Arsenal sit seventh in the Premier League after losing three of their last four games, including their last two against Manchester United and Everton, but Arteta believes his team deserved more from those defeats.
“Every time you lose a football match in this club [a negative reaction is] what happens,” the Spaniard added. “I think it’s what should happen because we are here to win every match and when we lost two in a row, it’s painful and it’s even more painful for me the way we lost those games because of the trajectory that the team had and the results that we were having.
“Still, in those two matches, I feel that we deserved much more than two defeats, for sure. Against Manchester United and looking back at the game against Everton, even more, but we haven’t and we have to manage and know how to win more matches.”
Arsenal have lost just one of their last 11 league games against Saturday’s opponent Southampton (W6 D4), while at home the Gunners are unbeaten in 26 league games against them since a 1-0 loss in November 1987.
