Former Premier League striker Daniel Sturridge has offered Arsenal advice on how to get new-signing Viktor Gyökeres firing, comparing his potential goalscoring profile to that of Erling Haaland.
The Swedish international made his first competitive start for the Gunners in the 1-0 win at Old Trafford on Sunday. While the result delighted supporters, Gyökeres struggled to make a major impact. To his credit, the team collectively delivered a below-par performance, with few clear chances created for the striker. The familiar issue of service to a traditional number nine once again became apparent, leaving the Swede with little to work with.
Sturridge Explains How To Unlock Gyökeres
Speaking on Sky Sports, as cited by TBR Football, Sturridge outlined how Arsenal can help the 27-year-old thrive. He said: “I think they need to score different types of goals to take the next step – more penetrative passes in the central areas, which, in turn, will give Gyökeres more opportunities to score.
“I think a lot of the goals he will end up scoring will be like the ones [Erling] Haaland scores: one-touch finishes in the box, poaching in the six-yard area.
“I also think he thrives, similar to Haaland, off those penetrative passes around the box, which give him the chance to make a burst over a few yards and get his shot off.”
Early Days For Arsenal’s New Number Nine
Against United, Gyökeres was freed into space on a few occasions, though often into wide areas where he posed less threat. Too frequently he was required to hold up play, with passes played to his feet or David Raya going long. This is not his strongest attribute, which left fans frustrated at the lack of direct service in central areas.
There should be little cause for concern at this stage. Gyökeres did not look fully fit and Arsenal are still adapting to his presence as a true centre forward. United were also much improved compared to last season, making the encounter more challenging.
For Arsenal, the main takeaway was securing three points at Old Trafford. For Gyökeres, it is only the beginning. With better service and sharper movement, the expectation is that he will soon settle and become a regular goalscoring outlet for the Gunners.
What do you think Gooners, how long will it take before Viktor Gyökeres hits top form for Arsenal?
Benjamin Kenneth
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Yes. But Arteta’s tactics are more suited to a huge CF like Haaland, who can use his aerial ability and strength to give the ball to his teammates
Based on the game at the Old Trafford, Gyokeres is pretty strong on the ground, but his aerial ability is obviously not as good as Haaland’s and Sesko’s
I just hope Gyokeres’ hold-up play will be enough to open more space and create more chances for Saka, Odegaard and Martinelli, who would hopefully assist Gyokeres more easily
@Gai we often talk about how a player needs to adjust. A coach needs to do more to evolve a tactics that suits the players at his disposal.
A good coach has to be multi dymentional with his tactics. I respect PepG because he is such a genius who variea his tactics many times. And Arteta can do same.
Stats has it that Sesko didn’t score many headers at his formal club. Victor Osimehin remains the best at headers Many good CF have graced Epl without scoring many headers.
Arteta has been collecting players who’re fit into his tactics
If he changes his tactics drastically just to accommodate Gyokeres, those players might not be suitable for the new strategy and Arsenal might have to do another squad rebuild
What I mean by good aerial ability isn’t about header goals, but the ability to win aerial duels for his teammates
@Gail you sure have a point 👌
But our tactics are not based on aerial duels from the CF – that’s simply an occasional release valve when we’re struggling. Our tactics are based on careful progression from the back and high pressing to win it back quickly – if there’s a high ball to be played, we sometimes play it to add a bit of variety, but we really should be looking to play passes beyond the opposition defence more often.
As much as havertz has been very good, you can’t say our attack was particularly special last season – we were too careful too often and allowed teams to settle and found it very hard to break through. Arteta needs to change things because we won’t win enough games playing like that – just like last season we’ll be asking for too many draws to challenge. I’m certain he knows that, but I think it will take time to create the change
Sylva,
This is something I’ve said on more than one post. While said player needs to be able to adapt to his managers tactics, it also needs to work the other way.
A perfect example of this for me was Kieran Tierney, he struggled to adapt to the inverted left back, but instead of trying to play to Tierney’s strength’s, Arteta largely ignored him. Which in my opinion was a total waste of a very good left back.
True, but it will take a little time and work by Gyokeres, Arteta and the rest of the team. It’s only the first game – there are another 37 to come after all.
Agree Bertie. Both teams were out of sync to the point where it looked very much like an additional preseason game. Regardless, it was a good away game to get done with (and earn the points) early in the season before our games increase and theirs continues without European commitments.
I don’t agree with that general consensus that Gyokeres isn’t good in the air, you don’t need to be that tall to be good in the air. There were two instances the that match that he would have buried United had Odegaard released the ball to him through the middle. I think the whole team is trying to adapt and get used to having a traditional striker in front of them. Let’s see what happens in the future. Am very optimistic about this one. Šeško would have struggled too if he was in the Arsenal team against United yesterday.
Arteta should change his rigid tactics. Gyokeres was wasted yesterday largely due to odegard’s lack of composure and decisiveness. We had a plethora of chances when we countered with pace in the first half but odegard was too slow in making a decision. Hope he learns from the awful game yesterday and know that a no 9 is waiting for his through balls
The problem as I see it is the whole system is set up not to lose, and if we can somehow grab a winner from somewhere then great.
Saka and Martinelli were non-existent yesterday. Ødegaard’s effort has never been in doubt, but his decision making and constantly dropping deep to collect the ball just to pass it back to the player that gave it to him, or if it does go forward he is not where we need him to affect the game.
Gyökeres was completely stranded up the pitch and given absolutely nothing. Admittedly he didn’t look great on the few occasions he did touch the ball but I don’t think it would matter who we played up front with these tactics.
Zubimendi and Rice are terrific players, some of the best in the world, but the team is starved of creativity with them both in the lineup together. Declan Rice is not an ACM. If it was the 90s he would be part of a midfield duo that just get up and down the pitch, and if we played him and Zubi like that it would be better but that would mean playing Havertz as a second striker and getting the ball down the wings and into the box and that is never going to happen.
So I think we can expect another season of dreary turgid football where it’s all hands behind the ball trying to defend a 1-0 lead at home to Leeds.
Eze, Lee Kang-in or Rafael Leao could do the job. They need one more class attacker imo.
Rodryogo is to expensive and has to high wage denands (spoiled)
My favorite player is Eze. Class player and PL proven.
Yesterday game shows why Arsenal needs a player as Eze.
One could argue it’s early days, but Gyokers is more lethal when the ball is played a little quicker, in fact that’s how he happens to score most of his goals, catching the opposition flat footed while splitting defense.
It is not beyond us to play quickly with pace, as we had done couple seasons ago , and this is an area Zubimendi excells in.
Agree. We need EZE or similar
The only time Saka put a quick ball into the box, with his right foot was within 5 Minutes of Gyokores going off. I was disappointed with Zubimendi and Odergaard, not giving our striker, early balls. They didn’t even look too.
How long or short it will take Gyokeres to hit form solely depends on Arteta. He needs to change his formation to make his team play with a traditional number 9. He should also instruct his midfielders to make penetrative passes for him to slot home. Incisive crosses should also come from the wings. With this, Gyokeres will gel with the team faster.
But, I doubt if Arteta will do any of those formation changes knowing him to be rigid in his formations just to frustrate him. Remember, he was forced on the coach.
@ Henson Gunner, 🤣 come on now, chill. Gyokeres wasn’t forced on anybody. Arteta is the coach & he will come good with our man. It’s only the first game & it’s not like united will just roll over for Gyokeres to score. Amorim was his coach at Sporting remember?
Saka will come good. Martinelli 👀