William Saliba’s absence against Brighton didn’t only impact Gabriel Magalhaes, but Viktor Gyokeres too.
Saliba is nursing a minor ankle injury he sustained against Chelsea, so he missed out at the Amex to be replaced by Cristhian Mosquera.
Mosquera lacked composure against Brighton, which made Saliba’s absence look even more significant, but it wasn’t in defence that the Frenchman was arguably missed most.
While Gabriel was a colossus to cover for his sidekick, nothing could mask how differently Arsenal played out from the back without Saliba, seeing David Raya play long ball after long ball, which proved to be a hindrance for Gyokeres.
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William Saliba’s absence against Brighton negatively impacted Viktor Gyokeres
Gyokeres can’t win duels; it’s arguably his biggest weakness since arriving at Arsenal.
Thus, watching his goalkeeper play it long time after time was a grave issue for the striker, as he struggled to beat his marker to the dropping ball, resulting in play just going back to Brighton.
It happened over and over again, with Raya playing 31 long balls, a considerable rise from the 14 he played against Chelsea three days prior.
The change in routine when playing out from the back due to Saliba’s absence was a nightmare for Gyokeres, who proved that he’s incapable of beating his man to hold up the ball.
Was this Viktor Gyokeres’ worst performance in an Arsenal shirt?
His struggles were highlighted by the striker losing every single one of the duels he contested, which just resulted in play being recycled back to Brighton.
Ending the game having completed just seven passes to his teammates and losing possession 13 times in less than an hour, it was another game to forget for Gyokeres, who will desperately want Saliba back.
Brighton sold Gyokeres for £1m, and they might not have any regrets
Gyokeres had a point to prove at Brighton, the club he once represented.
The Seagulls sold Gyokeres for just £1m in 2021, and his performance on his Premier League return to the Amex alarmingly justified that.
The Swede’s stellar performance against Tottenham seems like a long time ago, having struggled against Chelsea and Brighton since, but it has to be said that he needs to find a way to impress against sides that operate in a low block.
Granted, the Premier League is incredibly difficult and can highlight weaknesses more than strengths, but 29 games into the season, some sign of adaptation is needed.
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