Arsenal’s Benjamin Sesko decision proven right by Alan Shearer, ‘I don’t think he has a clue’

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Arsenal have watched Benjamin Sesko’s transition to the Premier League from afar after shortlisting the striker during the summer transfer window.

Sesko thought he was going to sign for Arsenal before the decision was made for the Gunners to instead sign Viktor Gyokeres. 

The Slovenian eventually made his way to the Premier League, signing for Manchester United instead of Arsenal in a £74m transfer.

Since the season started, it’s become clear that Arsenal’s decision to sign Gyokeres over Sesko was the right one, as the Gunners needed a player who could make an instant impact.

• READ MORE: Wayne Rooney picks the better signing between Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko

Alan Shearer issues a strong Benjamin Sesko review after Manchester United’s draw at Tottenham

As Arsenal Insider were told during the summer transfer window, Andrea Berta chose Gyokeres over Sesko because the Swede is ‘ready now’, fitting Arsenal’s ‘win now mode’. 

While the Arsenal man hasn’t scored as many goals as he’d have perhaps hoped, it’s becoming clear that Gyokeres is making Mikel Arteta’s attack better.

In recent weeks, Alan Shearer has praised Gyokeres, applauding Arsenal’s summer signing, but elsewhere, the pundit just issued some opposing feedback about Sesko.

Speaking on BBC’s Match of the Day, Shearer couldn’t hide his true feelings about Sesko’s cameo against Tottenham on matchday 11. 

“Sesko struggled again; he’s only scored twice in his 12 appearances, and he came on with just over half an hour to go and had two really, really good chances and should’ve scored, to be honest,” Shearer said.

The Premier League’s record goalscorer knows what it takes to thrive in the English top flight, but he’s not entirely sure if Sesko fits the bill just yet.

Analysing a passage of play that saw the Man United striker break through on goal, Shearer scolded Sesko’s decision-making.

“I don’t think he has a clue what he wants to do. I don’t think he even knows Van de Ven is there and chasing him, so now, he should be looking at the keeper, thinking, ‘What do I want to do, where am I going to go?’.

“He’s trying to work it onto his right foot, but as I said, he has to get across and get it onto his left foot to finish.”

Shearer understood that Sesko is ‘struggling with confidence’, but that didn’t stop him from stating that the 22-year-old simply ‘must do better’.

• READ MORE: Gary Neville’s honest Benjamin Sesko review

Viktor Gyokeres can actually take inspiration from Sesko

There’s no denying that Sesko will become a very good player, but his slow start to life in England only reinforces why Arsenal decided to capture Gyokeres instead.

Gyokeres was sorely missed against Sunderland, as his impact on the front line is now noticeable after taking some time to fully adapt.

The Swede isn’t perfect, and there’s still a lot he can work on, one of which is whether he can score in bigger games.

Because of this, Shearer’s feedback on Sesko’s performance against Tottenham might actually come of interest to Gyokeres.

After the international break, Arsenal will face Spurs in the first North London Derby of the season, and having seen the chances Sesko had to score, Gyokeres might be inspired.

Had the Slovenian converted his chances, he would’ve been painted as the hero rather than the underperformer, which is how fine the margins are in the Premier League.

In an alternative view, Gyokeres can use the space that Sesko found behind Spurs’ defence as ammunition to punish Arsenal’s rivals in a similar way, but hopefully, with an end product.