Arsenal: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang just does what he does

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored again in Arsenal’s 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace. Even when he has a quiet game, the attacker just does what he does.

When Arsenal trudged out of the dressing room at Selhurst Park on Sunday afternoon, they expected their usual second-half resurrection. After seven successive Premier League victories, that kind of confidence is innate. Such confidence is only heightened when those seven victories have all been inspired by some second-half brilliance.

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The Gunners have been drawing at half-time in all of those seven games. But, thanks to a greater fitness and instilled steel and resolve, they know how to perform when it matters most — at the end of matches.

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This confidence may have been misplaced this weekend. Arsenal would haul their way back into the game, and ultimately overhaul Palace’s one-goal lead, but it would be Roy Hodgson’s side that enjoyed the last laugh, earning a home point with a late penalty. The 2-2 draw was wild, unruly and riveting. And lost amid all of the drama and excitement was the fact that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored yet again.

Aubameyang added the second goal in a five-minute splurge early in the second half. It was a clever finish, prodding home a deflected corner off the hand of Alexandre Lacazette with his studs at the back post. It shouldn’t have been allowed because of Lacazette’s handball, but it was illustrative of Aubameyang’s natural nous for where chances may fall and his instinctive ability to finish from any angle, body and ball position.

Very quietly, Aubameyang is having an outstanding season. It’s quiet because no one is really talking about him — and when they are talking about him, it tends to be in a negative light with his use as a centre-forward and left winger hotly debated. It’s outstanding because he now has nine goals in all competitions in only 837 minutes of action. That is a world-class goal-scoring rate if ever I have seen one.

In the Premier League alone, only Eden Hazard can match Aubameyang for goals, seven apiece. Only Hazard has a better ratio also, excluding those who have played fewer than 200 minutes. Hazard has scored a goal every 95.3 minutes; Aubameyang has scored a goal every 99.1 minutes. Both are staggering figures.

Since his arrival at the Emirates in January, only Mohamed Salah has scored more goals and only Sergio Aguero has a better goals-per-minute ratio. I have criticised his lack of overall influence on Arsenal’s attacking play, especially regarding his hold-up play, his first touch, and when he has his back to the goal. But there is one thing that is completely undeniable: his ability to score goals.

Aubameyang just does what he does. He scores goals. And he did it once more on Sunday. No wonder Arsenal are confident when they walk onto the pitch.