Arsenal sent a statement to the rest of the Premier League with their win over Bournemouth, but not everything was perfect.
For the third consecutive Premier League match, Arsenal were unable to keep a clean sheet.
Though the Gunners got the win at one of the toughest Premier League grounds to visit this season, Mikel Arteta will have some feedback to issue to his players.
While the two goals conceded were disappointing, it wasn’t actually in defence that one issue Arsenal have was noticed, as Paul Merson questioned Arteta’s front line.
Name your Arsenal Man of the Match vs Bournemouth but you can’t pick Declan Rice!
Paul Merson says Arsenal are missing a natural goalscorer after Bournemouth win
Gabriel Magalhaes and Declan Rice were the goal scorers of the evening for Arsenal, who are still waiting for a goal from their £64m summer signing Viktor Gyokeres.
Gyokeres hasn’t scored a non-penalty goal in the league for Arsenal since early November, which Merson has identified as a problem.
“Their squad is so strong, but I don’t think Arsenal have a natural goalscorer,” Merson said on Sky Sports.
“Gyokeres is supposed to score goals, but he’s not a natural goalscorer; he’s never really tapping balls in.”
The pundit’s comments might’ve come at a confusing time after Arsenal’s statement win; however, he elaborated on the importance of having a reliable source of goals.
We are over halfway through the season, sum up Viktor Gyokeres’ transfer in one sentence.
“When it gets down to those last eight games, and it’s so nervy, you might need that [goal] out of nothing, and I don’t think they have a natural goalscorer,” Merson said.
“The nearest thing to it might be Jesus, but Arteta goes with Gyokeres before him, and I think he’ll go with Havertz before him as well when he comes back.
“Today’s goals were from a centre half and a midfielder, not a centre forward.”
After Arteta made it clear that he won’t sympathise with Gyokeres, who is feeling the pressure, the striker only managed to fire one shot on goal against Bournemouth.
In the long run, Arsenal need Gyokeres to score the goals needed to win the Premier League title, but not everyone will agree with Merson’s complaint.
Declan Rice says Viktor Gyokeres is one of the world’s best
It’s not all doom and gloom for Gyokeres, who is contributing in ways other than putting the ball in the net.
That narrative was something Rice was eager to make clear after the win at Bournemouth.
“At the minute, defenders in the Premier League want to be able to stop Viktor Gyokeres, because he’s one of the best strikers in the world,” Rice told Arsenal’s official website.
“Trust me, he’s doing unbelievably for us, we wouldn’t be where we are without him.”
Rice’s comments suggest he wouldn’t agree with Merson’s claim that Gyokeres isn’t a natural goalscorer, as the midfielder showed full support for his teammate.
That being said, it might be the first time ever that, on the back of a 54-goal season, a striker is not recognised as a natural goalscorer, which only paints the picture of how much Gyokeres needs to improve.
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