Tony Cascarino slams 'anonymous' Arsenal man Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Tony Cascarino slams ‘anonymous’ Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after poor display in Aston Villa defeat and says Mikel Arteta must get more from his key man

• Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has struggled to find his best form this season
• He recently missed some matches after his mother had been taken ill
• Arsenal lost 1-0 against Aston Villa at the weekend, where the striker was a sub

Tony Cascarino has accused Arsenal talisman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of being ‘anonymous’ this season as the Gunners have struggled to hit top form.

It was considered a major coup for Arsenal last summer when they convinced Aubameyang to sign a new long-term contract at the club after an electrifying 2019-20 campaign where he scored 29 goals in 44 games.

But this time around, the 31-year-old has struggled to hit the net and has scored just eight times in 22 appearances.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang failed to make an impact in Arsenal’s loss to Aston Villa

Aubameyang came on in the 59th minute of Arsenal’s defeat at Villa Park on Saturday

On Saturday he came on as a substitute in Arsenal’s 1-0 defeat by Aston Villa but failed to make much of an impact after replacing Alexandre Lacazette in the 59th minute.

‘Arsenal got frustrated,’ Cascarino said on talkSPORT about the 1-0 defeat. ‘The biggest disappointment for Arsenal is when you see two players that come on, who have been quality… Willian was poor, he kept giving away the ball, and Aubameyang.

‘These are two top-quality players who have done a hell of a lot in football that came on and made no impact at all.

‘Aubameyang, I didn’t even know he’d really come on. He’s been far too anonymous this year as a player because he is a player that Mikel Arteta can’t afford for him not to change games and make things happen.’

Aubameyang had missed an FA Cup tie and Premier League match against Southampton after his mother had fallen ill, something Arteta said had left the striker ’emotionally drained’.

‘It’s been tough because when you see a member of your family suffering and going through a difficult period, it drains you emotionally and you have to be close to them,’ the Arsenal manager said. 

Mikel Arteta said Aubameyang has been ‘drained’ after his mother fell ill in recent weeks

Tony Cascarino has been unimpressed with Aubameyang’s output across the season

‘It was difficult. He wants to be here, he wants to be training, he doesn’t want to miss football matches… he wants to play every minute of every single competition. So he was having the responsibility to be with his family but at the same time he wanted to be here.’ 

Arsenal are currently 10th in the Premier League standings after Saturday’s defeat, nine points off Liverpool in fourth and have lost their last two league games.

Next up the Gunnersnhost Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds, who are two points behind them and have two games in hand.

Their European campaign restarts the following week, where they meet Benfica in the Europa League. 

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