‘Give him everything’: Lee Dixon suggests deflated Arsenal ace needs picking up in training

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Lee Dixon has suggested on talkSPORT (10/11/20 at 8:15 am) that given Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s poor form he is someone who needs picking up in Arsenal training.

It has been a tough start to the season for Arsenal’s main man and Dixon feels Aubameyang is a player who’s usually ‘bubbling’ away when he’s scoring, but he doesn’t think that’s the case for the seemingly deflated hitman now.

Aubameyang has scored only two Premier League goals this season and a lot has been made about the fact that he’s only netted once from the spot since putting pen-to-paper on a new deal.

Dixon brushed off the thought that the Gabon star signing a new deal has anything to do with his bad form, but he does think the more senior players need to get the best out of him in training.

“His record of scoring goals is almost second to none,” said Dixon. “You cannot all of a sudden go ‘what’s up with him? He has given up because he has signed his new contract’.

“There are all sorts of things going through a player to actually perform week in and week out. But ultimately, if you are not getting the service, if you are not getting the opportunity to score then the weight of goals is all on your shoulders.

“Arsenal don’t score from midfield. It’s as simple as that. Lacazette has got three this season but he seems a bit off the pace. Then you have one player who, Nketiah is a good player, but Aubameyang carried that.

“He’s a flamboyant character. He’s bubbling when he’s scoring. When he’s not scoring then he is one in training that you have to as a senior pro keep him bubbling because he is going through a rough patch. You have to give him everything he needs.”

What doesn’t help Aubameyang’s cause is that he didn’t even register a shot on target during Arsenal”s 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa on Sunday.

However, the £56 million striker [BBC Sport] isn’t being helped by his teammates, nor the tactics deployed by his manager.

Given that he is out-of-form and is playing out on the left, it doesn’t help his cause or Arsenal’s. Plus, no-one around him is really stepping up, so it’s putting more pressure on his shoulders.