Even when he scores, things just aren’t going Viktor Gyokeres’ way right now.
The Swede was on the pitch for just 15 minutes at the San Siro on Tuesday night, but that was enough time for him to make his mark against Inter Milan.
It was a well-taken goal, too, a powerful shot from outside the area, the ball climbing too high for goalkeeper Yann Sommer.
The relief etched on the striker’s face, though, told its own story. Having been sat on the bench as his fellow striker Gabriel Jesus scored a first-half brace, and repeatedly showed off the intricate movement that is the Brazilian’s trademark, Gyokeres will have been feeling the heat. The last thing you need as a misfiring striker struggling to justify a £64million price tag is your rival for a starting position showing you up.
Pressure is inevitable after a big-money move. But Gyokeres’ five goals from 20 Premier League games, coupled with clunky performances and now the form of Jesus, are making matters worse. Indeed, ‘invisible and ‘a shadow’ are adjectives which have been used in the Swedish press to describe the £64million forward in recent weeks. No wonder he looked relieved in Milan.
Gyokeres has, overall, underwhelmed. Not because of a lack of effort or talent – 54 goals for Sporting Lisbon last season doesn’t happen by accident.
Even when he scores, things just aren’t going Viktor Gyokeres’ way right now. Against Inter Milan, he was upstaged by fellow striker Gabriel Jesus
Gyokeres took his goal against Inter very well, but he’s been too inconsistent since signing for Arsenal in the summer
But his struggles have arguably been compounded by an inability to fit into Arsenal’s style of play – which is markedly different to Sporting’s counter-attacking approach. Not to mention a failure to take the gaping chances he has been presented with by team-mates.
When asked about why Arsenal bought the 27-year-old last summer over the likes of Manchester United’s Benjamin Sesko, whom the club were interested in, Arteta said: ‘Well first of all, goals. Someone that can guarantee you goals.
‘We know that (a guarantor of goals) doesn’t exist but then someone very direct, very powerful, a proper nine that has the goal between the eyes and somebody that can stretch the pitch for us a bit more, especially when we have to play against certain opposition.’
On his assessment of Gyokeres’ contributions thus far, it’s more complicated. Arteta added: ‘It’s very early to assess. I mean, let’s assess at the end of the season and sometimes even that is a very short sample size.
‘You have to understand the league we are competing in as well, and what is happening with the nines across the league.
‘Also the manner that the game is changing. So, there are a lot of factors there to bear in mind to assess the player. And then we’re going to assess the player not only on one of the aspects of the game (scoring), but in many aspects.’
Still, scoring is an important part of the job. And Gyokeres has at least some responsibility to bear.
Take Arsenal’s 2-1 loss to Aston Villa on December 6. Declan Rice produced a low cross from the left flank which bypassed Gyokeres because he didn’t anticipate the delivery.
Mikel Arteta says it’s too early to assess his £64million signing. ‘You have to understand the league we are competing in,’ added the Arsenal boss
Gyokeres is struggling to affect games as well as score in them. His number of touches per league game (24.01) is one of the lowest for a ‘Big Six’ attacker
A similar scenario happened in the goalless draw with Liverpool this month, Rice’s cross once again evading a dumbfounded Gyokeres.
His nine goals in 27 games in all competitions isn’t that bad by any means, though the more detailed statistics paint a less-than-stellar picture. Gyokeres has only had more than three shots in three games all season – against Newcastle (six), Athletic Bilbao (four) and Nottingham Forest (four).
For shots on target, there are just four matches where he has managed more than one, against Atletico Madrid (three), Fulham (two), Leeds (two) and Brighton (two).
His number of touches on average per league game (24.01) isn’t any better, the Swede ranking lower than almost every Big Six attacker in the league.
Though these numbers are undoubtedly concerning, there are signs of promise – as seen against Inter.
When he is afforded space, Gyokeres can prove to be a tricky customer, darting into the wider channels, bringing team-mates into play, and having a powerful strike on him.
He has overcome adversity before. The forward joined Brighton earlier in his career, aged just 19, in a move which saw him go on three separate loans before being sold to Coventry.
A source close to Brighton during that period told Daily Mail Sport that Gyokeres was very much a ‘confidence player’.
Competition for the forward positions at Arsenal is firece and Gyokeres will feel Jesus (right) breathing down his neck after his brace in Milan
A source close to Brighton during Gyokeres’ time there told Daily Mail Sport that he was very much a ‘confidence player’
He added: ‘When he was in a tough patch of not scoring goals, he struggled because mentally it affected him. He thrived off confidence and when that wasn’t there, he wilted. He was only 19 at the time, so you would expect he has more self-belief now, but back then it was a problem for him. Who knows if that is still there.’
It all makes for an intriguing No9 puzzle at Arteta’s fingertips: Jesus, Kai Havertz, Gyokeres or even Mikel Merino?
As reported by Daily Mail Sport on Thursday, Arsenal are carefully managing the workload of Havertz after his knee flared up in recent weeks.
This means that even with the promising signs Jesus has showed this month, the Swede will still have his opportunities going forward.
For Arsenal, that goal against Inter felt less like a conclusion and more like a beginning. Gyokeres has the tools and, crucially, the trust of Arteta.
He has not showed enough thus far but with more chances coming, the challenge is simple: turn flashes of promise into consistency. Otherwise, there are other strikers at Arsenal hungry to start.
