MIKEL ARTETA has told Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: Don’t feel sorry for yourself.
The Arsenal captain is suffering a nightmare season and has not scored in his last six games, the worst spell of his career.
Aubamayeng, 32, was dropped to the bench for Monday’s 2-1 loss at Everton. He came on in the 85th minute and missed a golden chance to level in injury-time.
The Gabon international is hoping to land a recall at home to Southampton on Saturday.
Asked whether the striker was struggling with confidence, boss Arteta said: “When a player is not scoring, it’s affecting his confidence, affecting the mood and probably the belief.
“But this is what you’re going to have to try to do — don’t accept it and feel sorry for yourself.
“Every player has patches. When a player is hitting goals, they try to maintain it as long as possible and try to reduce the time when they don’t.”
Eddie Nketiah was preferred as a sub at Goodison Park before Auba was introduced.
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This went down badly with the man who has got just four Prem goals for Arsenal this season.
Arteta was asked whether the pair’s relationship was deteriorating and if he would consider selling him next month.
He said: “The players and the substitutions are always with intention to improve the team and try to win the match.
“I have a very good relationship with my players. Because if there’s one thing that I have to understand it’s that they always do the best for the club and for the team. The decisions are not personal.”
When pressed on if he would be sold in January, Arteta said: “We have never discussed something like this. When a player is having difficulties or the team is having difficulties, what we have to give is support.”
The Gunners chief also ruled out any chance of buying a striker in the next window.
Arteta said: “I always said that what we have to do is make the players we have better. It’s our job.”
Meanwhile, the Gunners chief hopes to get Nketiah, 22, to sign a new deal before his contract runs out next summer.
Arteta said: “Eddie has six months left on his contract and we are having discussions with him and the agent to try to find the best possible way.
“Eddie knows how much I rate him, how much I like him and I would like him to stay at the club.
“He loves the club so much and his reason is that he wants to play more football — and that is a genuine reason. It is nothing to do with anything else.
“He feels that he’s capable of contributing much more and that’s what I like.”
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