Arteta confident goals will come for Arsenal
Arsenal must "resolve" their reliance on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but Mikel Arteta is largely pleased with his team's overall performance levels.
Mikel Arteta is concerned by Arsenal's reliance on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang but believes it is "pure maths" they will start to score if they perform as they did against Wolves.
The Gunners were beaten 2-1 at home to Wolves on Sunday and sit 14th in the Premier League table after 10 matches.
Arteta's side have scored just 10 goals in this time, with captain Aubameyang - the Premier League Golden Boot winner the season before last - netting only twice from 18 shots.
Drawing blanks
The forward drew another blank at Emirates Stadium last time out, yet Arteta was encouraged by Arsenal's attacking intent.
They had 13 shots against Wolves - a joint-high for Arsenal this season - but only two hit the target, while 35 crosses were sent in, albeit a meagre three found a red shirt.
Poor results and these "margins" have Arteta "really worried", yet he said: "When you compare what Wolves did and what we did, in a normal scenario, we should not lose that game."
But he conceded Arsenal's long-standing tendency to turn to Aubameyang for goals is an issue.
"If you look in the past few years how the team has shared the goals in the Premier League, it's been quite limited," the manager said ahead of facing Rapid Vienna in the Europa League.
"That's not an issue that is happening now - it's an issue that has been happening for years, and it has to be resolved.
"To put almost 80 per cent of that responsibility to one man is not fair. As a team, we have to resolve that.
"We're getting into a lot of situations; sometimes the service is not right, sometimes the timing is not right, sometimes the last execution is not right.
"But as a team as well, there are certain things we have to do better. It's coming from a long way. We have been winning matches producing similar numbers but being very efficient.
"Sometimes, when you have that energy, that state of mind, that confidence, when the moment comes, you hit it. That ball doesn't go in the post, or it goes in the post and then in. That's the difference.
It's maths, pure maths
"Football is about the energy and the belief of a team. When you lose games, that gets touched. It is one of the beauties of this sport and how you react to this adversity.
"I never think about the future in a negative way; I try to work as hard as I possibly can to believe it is going to change tomorrow.
"I think it's the first time in the Premier League we put in 35 crosses. If we do that, we're going to score more goals.
"With the bodies we have in certain moments of the game in that box, it's maths, pure maths. It will happen. It's how consistently we can do that and with what level of quality."
Partey remains out
It is not only in attack where Arsenal have issues, however, as Thomas Partey remains sidelined with a thigh injury.
Arteta said Partey would play against Rapid and at rivals Tottenham in Sunday's North London derby if available, but he does not know when the midfielder will be back.
"He's been training separately in the last week or so," Arteta said. "We have to scan him again to see how he's feeling.
"He's a player who is so willing, who is pushing us every day because he wants to do it. At the same time, we have to protect him and make sure that, when he gets back in the team, he is ready to do that and we can use him.
"It will be crucial when he starts training in part with the team we can see how he's doing."