‘Wrong to dig Aubameyang out, he needs help’ – Arsenal require collective improvement, says Keown

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang needs to offer more to the Arsenal cause, admits Martin Keown, but the former Gunners defender says it would be wrong to “dig out” one individual when those around him must raise their game.

The prolific Gabonese frontman drew another blank on Sunday as he failed to find the target in the 2-0 north London derby defeat to Tottenham.

Aubameyang has netted just four times this season as Arsenal make their worst start in 39 years.

Keown concedes that key men need to be leading from the front, but he is also aware that forwards can only fire if collective efforts provide them with a platform on which to flourish.

The ex-Arsenal defender told Stadium Astro: “It’s never about one player. I saw enough [against Spurs] to suggest that Arsenal have improved, they had 70 per cent possession. This is about Arsenal losing a game that they tried to win and they were naïve.

“You can talk about crosses, you can talk about how you create them, I feel Arteta will find a way to do that. As well as they did Spurs, soaking up pressure, Arsenal can obviously do a lot better.

“That is not just down to Aubameyang. Yes, we need him to improve. The chances that Arsenal create, I think they are 20th, they are not scoring enough goals – just 10 from the start of the season.

“It’s all there but they are going to have to do it collectively. I don’t think we need to dig out one individual, it’s about the team now coming together, creating opportunities and staying in games long enough to win them with Aubameyang.

“I don’t think he’s getting the sort of chances that he thrives on. I think we waited until the 85th minute until we got Aubameyang in that position where he uses his pace and can finish.

“I’m not going to attack any one individual player, I think it’s about the collective. Yes he has to start scoring goals, yes he needs to do something inspirational, but he needs help from everyone else around him.

“He needs to retain his confidence and at the moment the confidence is ebbing away from the group.

“It’s not just Aubameyang, it’s about the manager. All these crosses into the box doesn’t suit Aubameyang, he wants the ball to feet, where he can do damage.

“It’s quite difficult for him when he realises he can’t count on those behind him. It’s a two-way show in any team. Aubameyang needs more, and to give more.”

Aubameyang – who is now tied to a lucrative new contract at Emirates Stadium - has just two Premier League goals to his name this season, with his last from open play coming in the win over Fulham back on September 12.