Viktor Gyokeres has had a mixed start to his time at Arsenal.
The Swede scored more goals than anyone else in Europe during his two years at Sporting CP, and he was brought in to do the same at the Emirates Stadium.
However, Gyokeres has scored just seven goals in 23 appearances for the Gunners so far, and that has led to a lot of criticism.
Declan Rice has now had his say on the striker.
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Declan Rice explains why Viktor Gyokeres is finding it so difficult at Arsenal
Viktor Gyokeres will be the first to admit that he should be scoring more goals for Arsenal.
The striker was brought in to solve the Gunners’ goalscoring woes, but seven goals in 23 games is not a good return at all.
However, goals aside, Gyokeres is doing so much to help Arsenal. The way he holds the ball up, stretches the defence and brings others into play is really benefiting those around him.
Rice was asked about the Sweden international, and he claimed that opposition defenders sticking to him is the reason why it has been so difficult.
However, the England star has backed Gyokeres to start scoring in the coming games.
He said about the striker on Premier League Productions: “Massive! It’s tough for him because defenders are so tight on him, and there’s no space for him at all.
“But he is working so hard. You see, for the second goal, he holds two of them off really, really well, sets Martin, who then sets me. It was such a pivotal moment in the game because it turned the game on its head.
“I see him in training, I see how he works. He’s such a good guy. It will start to click for him, like the manager said the other day.
“All the boys are with him because of what he is doing for us, even though he hasn’t scored, how he is helping us as a team to press, hold the ball up… yeah, I think good things are going to come.”
If you could give one advice to Viktor Gyokeres at Arsenal right now, what would it be?
Viktor Gyokeres is making a difference at Arsenal
We all want Gyokeres to score more goals at Arsenal, and we’re sure he does too.
However, what the former Sporting CP striker is doing for the team as a whole simply cannot be ignored.
Aside from his relentless pressing, impressive hold-up play and the way he stretches the game, Gyokeres also stops teams from being aggressive against Arsenal.
Defenders are always reluctant to push high up the pitch when he is playing because they know he will punish them in transition.
That is why Arsenal tend to concede chances as soon as he comes off, because their other strikers just don’t do what he does.
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