Alan Smith Claims Arsenal 'Negativity' Is Already Affecting Record Signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Arsenal legend Alan Smith is worried that the current negativity at the Emirates has already impacted Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's performances.

The former Borussia Dortmund striker scored in Arsenal's 2-1 defeat at Brighton on Sunday, but that was only his second goal since moving to London in January.

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Having lost four of their last five league fixtures and the Carabao Cup final in recent weeks, Arsenal fans were yet again calling for manager Arsene Wenger to be sacked during Sunday's game, and Smith feels the bad atmosphere has already affected Aubameyang.

"He looked a shadow of the player he was at Dortmund," Smith told Sky Sports. "Even he, in the short time he's been at Arsenal, has been affected by the mood.

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"I'm not saying he's a bad player, but it's a malaise through the dressing room and he's been affected."

And Smith does not think it is just Aubameyang who has been affected by the bad feeling at the Emirates, as fellow January signing Henrik Mkhitaryan has also failed to make a real impact.

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Arsenal now sit 13 points adrift of the top four following Sunday's defeat with only nine games left to play in the Premier League this season, and Smith feels they are in a bad way.

"We've had a few chaotic performances this season off Arsenal, but at times they just couldn't pass to an Arsenal shirt," Smith added.

"It was Keystone Cops at times and I've rarely seen them sink as low as that in terms of their standards.

"As long as that's in Arsenal's make-up they are never going to be able to achieve any consistency. They are never going to be able to compete with the top teams.

"It was really poor from the visitors today and Arsene Wenger must wonder how it's got to that - obviously the responsibility lies with him for those kind of displays."