Smith: Aubameyang will recover from poor form
Arsenal legend Alan Smith believes that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s recent dip in form is only temporary and he will bounce back stronger.
In September, Aubameyang put months of speculation to rest as he signed a new three-year contract extension with Arsenal.
The Gunners fans were delighted at this news as they were keeping hold of one of their most prized assets.
The Treble: Cavani the difference, WBA revival, Spurs too strong
But the forward’s form has dipped since signing the new deal. He only has one goal and one assist from nine outings after he extended his stay at Arsenal.
Smith told Sky Sports, as cited by The Mirror, that Aubameyang will come back stronger after his recent dip in form.
“[Aubameyang] is only human. He comes across as a really happy guy, whose confidence would be difficult to knock.
“He has great confidence in his ability. But you can see he has been affected by his overall game. He’s been lacklustre.
“In an effort to try and change things, they’ve put him through the middle. I don’t think he’s necessarily always suited to playing through the middle; when the team is functioning properly, and he’s coming in from the left, he can find space easier from that position.
“But I can see why they’d try through the middle because they’re trying everything at the moment.
“Some people point to him signing his new bumper contract and his form falling off the edge of a cliff, but I’d be reluctant to say that has been an influence.
“He does strike me as someone who lives for goals, but I’d be surprised if he’s eased off because he’s signed his new contract.
“His form is a symptom of Arsenal’s lack of form going forward. Mikel Arteta had to change the way they played, he had to make them more robust, harder to play against, more solid at the back.
“Wherever Arsenal are on the pitch, they always make sure that should they lose the ball, they are not exposed. They’ve always got that in mind.
“Arteta works quite hard on that in training and, yes, it’s taken away some of that joie de vivre, if you like, that Arsenal have always been associated with going forward.”
