Viktor Gyokeres is making the headlines after every Arsenal game.
The Sweden international joined the Gunners from Sporting CP in the summer, and there is a lot of pressure on his shoulders.
Arsenal fans had been waiting for a prolific striker since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang left the club, and Gyokeres’ numbers in Portugal raised the excitement levels.
However, so far, the striker has scored just three goals for the North Londoners.
Alan Shearer delivers verdict on Viktor Gyokeres after Arsenal beat Fulham
Viktor Gyokeres failed to score for Arsenal in their win against Fulham.
It has been over a month since the Swede last found the net for Mikel Arteta’s side, and some fans are finding that concerning.
After seeing Gyokeres score 97 times in 102 games for Sporting, a few supporters expected him to find the net more often.
However, Gyokeres’ work rate every game is absolutely incredible, and he is constantly creating space for his fellow attackers.
Alan Shearer has been impressed with that side of his game and believes that goals will come. But he is adamant that the 27-year-old will not match his record from the last two seasons.
He said on BBC Sport: “He’s not in the league of the three we showed in the previous clip [Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe], far from that.
“But I think he brings a different strength. There’s no doubt that he will have to improve his goalscoring, as you said, he’s only got three.
“But one of his strengths, which has suited Arsenal, is he actually goes in behind. When he does that, it creates space for others to play because last season you had [Kai] Havertz or [Mikel] Merino coming short, and that’s easier for teams to defend against.
“When you’re running the other way, they get deeper and deeper, and that then opens up space for others to play. I think from that point of view, he has improved Arsenal.”
When asked if he will score, Shearer replied: “I think he will get the goals, obviously, nowhere near as many as he got last season. But he will get the goals. With the number of chances Arsenal create, he will, and his numbers should improve.”
Nine Arsenal players have reduced the pressure on Viktor Gyokeres
Strikers are judged by the goals they score, and that will be the case with Gyokeres as well.
However, with Arsenal flying at the top of the Premier League table and winning games without his strikes, there isn’t that much pressure on the striker’s shoulders.
Nine other Arsenal players have scored in the league already this season. That’s more goal scorers than any other team in the division.
If those players had failed to score as well, the pressure on Gyokeres would have been unbearable at this point.
This should give him some more breathing space, and hopefully, that will help him start scoring regularly in the coming weeks.
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