West Brom 0-4 Arsenal: 4 Things We Learned From Demolition

Arsenal Not Reliant on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is in the midst of his toughest campaign to date – OK, he might have suffered a few dry patches when he was 13 years younger and popping around France on loan.

Since striking gold, however, he finds himself in an unusual position. Scoring goals is his bread and butter. He won’t be enjoying this one bit.

Which is a good thing. Nobody wants a striker who’s happy with just winning over scoring. The team comes first, of course, but when you’re a forward whose job role is to stick the ball in the back of the net, you’d rather be picking up three points with your name on the scoresheet.

Last season the only one who could provide that was Aubameyang. Arsenal’s goalscoring hat sat atop the captain’s head, as he dragged the side through fixtures with his lethal finishing. Heading into this season, as the goals dried up for Aubameyang – the reasons for that are aplenty – the same fate befell the team. If the 31-year-old wasn’t scoring, neither were Arsenal.

New impetus on offensive movements and fluidity across the forward line is seeing more than just Aubameyang, finally, getting in on the act. Whether Saka or a rejuvenated Lacazette, the weight of expectation has been lifted off last term’s top scorer.

That reliance on the Gabon man will have taken its toll at the start of the campaign, and with those shackles released, it’s a matter of time before the goals come back.

Still need central midfield to help out, mind you.