Michael Owen has expressed reservations about whether Viktor Gyokeres can fully resolve Arsenal’s goalscoring concerns, despite acknowledging the striker’s qualities. The Swedish forward arrived in the summer for a substantial fee, having established himself as one of the most prolific attackers in European football during his time at Sporting Club.
Negotiations over his transfer were prolonged, with Sporting initially reluctant to sanction a sale. The Portuguese side believed they could command an even higher fee if he moved to another elite club. However, Gyokeres ultimately opted for a switch to Arsenal, prompting both clubs to engage in extended discussions before reaching an agreement. Arsenal’s persistence throughout the process underlined their determination to secure his signature and strengthen their attacking options.
Although the Gunners eventually completed the deal, Gyokeres has not scored as frequently as anticipated. Given the significant investment involved, expectations were understandably high. His recent output has attracted scrutiny, with questions raised about whether he can be the decisive figure Arsenal require in crucial moments.
Owen Questions the Fit
Owen offered a measured assessment of the striker’s impact. As reported by Metro Sports, he said, ‘Listen, I don’t mind him. I think he’ll definitely be a source of goals if you play him in every game. But then again, I could probably play in every game for Arsenal; they are the best team at the moment and create a lot of chances.
‘But is he the answer? I’m not so sure. He’s certainly an asset to the team. You would expect paying £60m for a striker, for him to be the stand-out striker, the go-to player. But I don’t know.’
Expectations Remain High
Owen’s comments reflect the broader debate surrounding Gyokeres. While his ability is not in doubt, the question remains whether he can consistently deliver at the level required to justify his transfer fee and lead Arsenal’s line with authority.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
ADMIN COMMENT
So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….
You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…
I have watched Gyo for more than six months now and I am inclined to agree with Mr Owens. The guy’s ball control and footwork in tight situations is not good enough. He’s not a ball carrier so can’t run with the ball. His positioning in the 18 is suspect.
I am not going to wade into the “is he good enough” discussion because I have not seen enough matches.
What does perplex me is the constant media focus on “Arsenal’s goalscoring concerns”. I just checked: they have the second highest goals scored in the Premier League and were the top in goals scored in the Champions League.
I suspect that a lot of clubs would love to have such goalscoring concerns.
Can anyone explain this situation?
I knew he was a plodder when we signed him but thought his better attributes would out shine his lack of pace ,but something has gone wrong with him ,could be our managers desire to hold back our attackers game (not many attackers have gotten better under him ,if any ) or he was just a bad investment .
Either way not worth the 60 odd million splashed out on him .
Personally, I think Saka,Martinelli,Havertz and Trossard all improved under Arteta. With Jesus,it’s hard to tell because he’s been injured most of the time, but his first three months with us were probably better the best of his career. It’s still too early to judge Gyokeres,Madueke and Eze.
The only attacker who clearly declined under Arteta was Auba.
Gyokeres is a very good and dangerous striker, when he face goal post, he is very accurate except his movements, he run rightly with defenders, he supposed to escape defenders, in short he don’t know how to create spaces he like using power.
For me, a lack of chemistry is the main reason why our attack has struggled. All great attacks are built on thriving partnerships,which is something we are yet to see. Our attackers always seem out of sync with each other. Injuries and to an extent,rotation, make it difficult for chemistry to develop.
Think of all the great attacks- it’s about the level of chemistry between the players as much as it is about individual quality.