With the minutes of Jesus and Havertz now being carefully managed to help them regain full match fitness, Viktor Gyokeres’s performance on Wednesday night felt particularly well timed. Arsenal currently have three strikers with contrasting strengths, yet many Gooners would have placed the Swede third in the pecking order if all were fully fit. For that reason, contributing a goal and an assist in a major semi-final could hardly have come at a better moment for the 27-year-old.
A moment of character under pressure
Some will argue that there should be no overreaction to what was, on the surface, a simple tap-in. That may explain why Gyokeres did not overcelebrate at the Bridge, instead turning towards the away fans with a look that suggested defiance and frustration, fully aware that this contribution was overdue. However, the finish only came about because he gambled by making the run in the first place.
Too often this season, Arsenal have seen inviting crosses delivered without anyone attacking the central area. While that movement should be expected from any forward, it is rarely seen from one struggling with confidence. That is why midweek offered a revealing insight into Gyokeres’s personality. With his place in the starting line-up more vulnerable than at any point since his arrival at the Emirates, he showed courage rather than caution.
A debate that still remains
Many players in his position might have played it safe, fearful of making mistakes and settling into a long-term role on the bench. Instead, even before scoring, Gyokeres was willing to take risks and was unafraid of getting things wrong. Although he has not matched the scoring rate he enjoyed in Portugal, it is not as though he has been missing a high volume of chances.
Those experienced in the role often say concern should arise not when chances are missed, but when none are created at all. That is the central debate among the fanbase. Was it simply easier to score for Sporting Lisbon, or does Mikel Arteta need to do more tactically to involve an out-and-out goal scorer? Jesus and Havertz offer mobility and link play, so while Gyokeres may point to the system, he also needed to demand greater involvement. Perhaps the first leg of the Carabo Cup semi-final will prove to be the turning point in his Arsenal career.
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The 100th article in 4 months!
Haaland is a phenom and everyone wants to compare based on Gyokerws stats in Portugal which is much easier.
The team ( especially Saka) still are not playing in the balls he can optimise
Return of Jesus and Havertz is great for the team at this point where normally we have players getting injured.
Let’s keep going.
COYG
Gyokeres had a decent game against Chelsea, which may have been his own turning point, but unless he develops what Lineker described as a strikers natural anticipation, I don’t see much of a future for him at this level.
Gyokeres has struggled for various reasons but the main reason being him and the other attackers not being at all in sync. Trossard sometimes finds him but there is nothing between him and Saka who is our biggest attacker and threat. They are completely out of sync and it clearly affects our attacks. When Saka puts a dangerous cross or cut-back 1st time, Gyokeres is no where to be found, when Gyokeres makes a great run for a tap-in or easy chance Saka turns blind and doesn’t make the pass.
Hopefully, the Chelsea game is a turning point for him.
Let’s see how he performs this evening. I hope he scores and goes on a good scoring streak.
How many assists Saka has in the past year if we dont count corners? Not many. I think he just simply isnt releasing the ball too much.
Ödegaard has been quite disappointing for the past 18 months as well.
They both need to step up and remember this is a team sport. Feed those balls to our forwards!
we hope. needs to be influencing every game, the goal was a massive GK error, but he still had an all around better than usual game. key words “better than usual”
Is it the player or the system even Ronaldo will struggle in this team
I’m still undecided on Gyokeres if I’m honest. On the one hand I want to give him this season to settle in. And to be fair to him, the team just don’t create for him.
But at the same time, whether he’s finding it difficult because he’s not had a proper pre-season or not I don’t know. But to me at times he looks clumsy when in possession, and watching him on his one on one with the Forest keeper did I once think he was going to score. He couldn’t outpace their covering defender who had given him a start.
As I say, I’m still undecided on him. I want to give him a chance, but it’s difficult because we need more from him.
It’s good we have options now.
So with time we will find out.
But in the meantime, let’s win the trophy first.