Pundit puts new twist on Arsenal demise with Aubameyang not to blame

Lacazette, Willian, Aubameyang Arsenal TEAMtalk

Rio Ferdinand feels two Arsenal stars need to step up to cover for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s lack of goals this season.

Aubameyang drew a black once again as the Gunners slipped to a 2-1 home defeat to Wolves on Sunday. It was their third top-flight game without a victory and third straight Premier League home defeat.

The result left the north Londoners 14th in the table – their worst start to a league campaign since 1981/82. Pressure is mounting on manager Mikel Arteta, with Arsenal closer to the bottom three than the Champions League places.

They have been hamstrung by a lack of goals, with just 10 in the league in as many outings. Aubameyang has been the main source of goals for Arsenal over the past two seasons.

The Gabon hitman bagged 22 in 2018-2019 and matched that number last term. He has just two this campaign and critics have been quick to point the finger at the 31-year-old.

However, Ferdinand does not believe it is all Aubameyang’s fault and wants others to prove their worth.

“What’s going on with you lot [Arsenal] over there?” he told the FIVE YouTube channel. “You’re lacking consistency. You’re searching for goals. There’s not goals in the team at the moment. When Aubameyang doesn’t bang nobody else seems to be stepping up, that’s the problem.”

Problems deeper than just one man

Alexandre Lacazette has three goals in 2020-21 while Nicolas Pepe has a solitary strike to his name. Lacazette has yet to replicate the form he showed with Lyon and has not scored the expected volume of goals.

Pepe has also struggled and been linked with a move away after failing to come to terms with English football. Arteta has had to introduce youth to his starting XI but that will always take time to bear fruit.

Mikel Arteta; Nicolas Pepe TEAMtalk

And, in the meantime, former England star Ferdinand has urged the more established stars to buck their ideas up.

“I love the way Arteta is bringing the young players in and the young players have been performing but sometimes you need the experienced players to drag you through a situation like this,” he added.

“Laca man. We need Laca to come up with some goals man! Pepe! When you get your chance come in and bang. We haven’t seen that cutting edge from this Arsenal team.”

Arsenal are next in action on Thursday when they face Rapid Vienna in the Europa League.

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