Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is about to have a lot of options in attack.
The Gunners were in an injury crisis at the top end of the pitch not too long ago. They had as many as seven players missing in that area of the pitch.
Now, a number of Arsenal’s attackers are back fit, and Kai Havertz is expected to join the mix before Christmas as well.
Even before that happens, Arteta is thinking of forming a new strike force with Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyokeres.
How many goals will Gabriel Jesus score from now until the end of the season? Will he outscore Viktor Gyokeres?
Mikel Arteta hints he could start Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Jesus together at Arsenal
Gyokeres and Jesus are two very different players.
The Swede is a battering-ram centre-forward who thrives in open spaces and is clinical in front of goal. Jesus, on the other hand, is brilliant in tight spaces, causes chaos in the box and can play anywhere across the front three.
The variety provided by the strikers will help Arsenal in different games, but what also needs to be considered is the possibility of the two of them playing together.
Gyokeres and Jesus have never shared the pitch at Arsenal. The only time they featured in the same game was against Club Brugge in the Champions League, when the Brazilian came on for the former Sporting man in the second half.
Going forward, Mikel Arteta has hinted that the two of them can play together and interchange their positions on the pitch.
When asked how strong a partnership they could form, the Arsenal manager said, as relayed on HaytersTV: “Very strong!
“Both players probably like to play a little bit shifted to the left side, so an interchange in that position is something that we haven’t had yet.
“When we want to put an extra body closer to the box, in central positions, it’s something that we can work on. So, make sure that we keep them fit, and we will have many options.”
Change our mind – Arsenal are at their best as a team when Gabriel Jesus is starting up front…
The Brazilian should start ahead of Merino, Havertz and Gyokeres! 👀
Jesus and Gyokeres could form a lethal partnership – here’s why
Jesus and Gyokeres may not be the same profile of strikers, but they share one similarity.
The duo both love dropping deep and linking up play. They enhance the performances of the players around them by creating space and chances for others to succeed.
If they play together, Jesus and Gyokeres could combine brilliantly. If one drops deep, the other could run in behind and cause opposition defenders all sorts of problems.
That is really exciting, but it remains to be seen when Arteta will be confident enough to use the two strikers together.
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