Arsenal will find it difficult to replicate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's points-winning trait

Mikel Arteta was well aware of the risks when he opted to exile former club captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from the first-team fold at Arsenal.

Few fans questioned the decision given the Gabon international's poor form in front of goal for much of this season, as well as now simply being accustomed to their manager's strict disciplinarian approach.

While the decision to strip the 32-year-old of the armband following his latest disciplinary breach in early December was still the right-call in the eyes of the Gunners faithful, their options are up front are now looking particularly bleak.

Things were fine in the immediate aftermath of the controversy, in fact Arsenal actually became a more prolific team with Aubameyang out of the side.

In the remaining five contests Arsenal had to play over the course of December, the Gunners bagged 19 goals - notching five in one game on two occasions against Sunderland and Norwich respectively.

But January has presented a different picture, one that depicts a notably blunt Arsenal side that have not scored a goal in any competition since Bukayo Saka's effort during the 2-1 home defeat by Manchester City on New Year's Day.

Dumped out of the FA Cup in humiliating fashion by Nottingham Forest before being swept aside by Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semi-final, Arsenal have endured a miserable post-festive period.

The timing of Aubameyang's exile came weeks before the opening of the January transfer window and yet, the Gunners are now staring down the barrel of ending the month without a replacement.

That could be deemed excusable if the club already had a striker in-house waiting in the wings for their moment to take over the mantle, but the reality is far from it.

Alexandre