Mikel Arteta has admitted that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang knows he must improve his goalscoring form, but has every belief his captain will get back to his best sooner rather than later.
The Gabonese international ended months of speculation about his future by signing a long-term contract in the summer, but has since struggled to kick on. He's scored just twice in the Premier League, despite being a virtual ever-present for Arsenal.
It's some way from the form that has seen him clear 20 goals in each of his two full seasons in the Premier League, and while Arteta acknowledged he has struggled, he said the 31-year-old owns it - and knows what he has to do to improve.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has not scored in his last five league games.
— 90min (@90min_Football) October 25, 2020
It's the first time since November 2014 with Borussia Dortmund. ? pic.twitter.com/E1DzxFPY2q
"I think himself, he knows as well what he can do, the things that he needs to improve in his game to be more decisive," Arteta said, per The Telegraph. "It will come. I haven't known any striker in the world that for ten years never had a period where he wasn't scoring as much.
"It is how you navigate that period and how quickly you come back to do what you have always done. For them it is something normal. As a coach I have to help him as much as I can."
Aubameyang's struggles have coincided and contributed to a stumbling start from the Gunners, who looked like a force to be reckoned with to begin with, but have now slumped to 12th in the table. Outside of the relegation zone, only Wolves and Fulham have scored fewer than them this season, and they will be looking to put that right when they face Leeds on Sunday.
On opposing number Marcelo Bielsa, Arteta said: "I know a lot about his methods, who he is as a person and who he is as a manager as well, and I have admired him for many, many years.
"I am aware of the way he is able to change a football club immediately with his mentality, the messages he sends and his personality and charisma. He transformed the club and the belief in the fans that they could come back and be the club that they were a few years back."
Source: 90min
