Will the Arsenal talisman regain his scoring touch after an unexpected fall early in 2020/21?
It feels like 2020 threw several curved balls… and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang not scoring goals for fun was another surprising situation.
The Arsenal captain had a worrying streak of not scoring with the usual regularity in 2020/21 after wearing Arsenal widely in the previous campaign.
Not only did the Gabonese star seem desperate, but he also doesn’t get into position or have the required luck.
For example, after ending a fruitless run without scoring against Southampton, he then contracted an injury which ruled him out of losses to Everton and Manchester City.
Almost everything seems to have deserted Auba in the blink of an eye and how he recovers in 2021 will determine the Gunners’ fate in the second half of the current season.
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Aubameyang? ?
Mane? ?
Salah? ?
Zaha? ?Which African stars could compete for the Premier League Golden Boot 2020-21? ?
?️ @AfricanFtblHQ & @EddyDove
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– Objective Africa (@GoalAfrica) September 11, 2020
Aubameyang: The Story of 2020
Without a doubt, the first half of the year has been incredible for the leader. Having verbally pledged his immediate future at the club when reports of an exit surfaced in January, the Gabonese star finally signed an exceptional three-year extension in September.
Before putting pen to paper, however, the talismanic striker was instrumental in the club’s FA Cup victory after the lockdown.
Aubameyang scored hugely important accolades against Manchester City in the semi-finals and Chelsea in the deciding, matches won by the North London team 2-0 and 2-1 respectively.
After finishing the Premier League season just one goal away from Golden Boot winner Jamie Vardy, who scored 23 goals in 19/20, observers made the Central African striker one of the favorites to reach the top scores in 20/21.
However, the decline in Aua’s numbers has been striking; he’s only scored three times in the Premier League all season, with just two goals in open play.
For a player who had scored a goal every 106, 124 and 143 minutes in 17/18, 18/19 and 19/20 respectively, his goal frequency of one strike every 389 minutes this season is beyond the hit.
It remains to be seen whether the former Borussia Dortmund forward will return to the pitch this year, but the alarming drop in the second half of 2020 has been astonishing.
Aubameyang: Transfer rumors?
Considering he only recently signed a three-year extension in September, the chances of clubs lined up for the Arsenal man are slim.
Even if there were interested teams, the striker’s current scarcity of goals might deter them from making a move for someone who is out of shape in front of goal.
Aubameyang: a great hope for 2021
Strange as it sounds, it has to be a rediscovery of the touch-in-goal that has made the Arsenal talisman one of Europe’s most prolific strikers.
Only this may even cause Mikel Arteta’s side to consider achieving their main goal of returning to the Champions League via a PL top four or winning the Europa League.
Aubameyang: a great fear for 2021
What if Auba’s lull in front of goal doesn’t go away and Arsenal fail to climb the standings as many expect over the next few months?
It will be shocking in every way and many will wonder what happened to one of the best African strikers of the 2010s.
