Viktor Gyokeres would’ve given Arsenal fans a lot of mixed feelings after the win over Kairat Almaty.
Arsenal almost made history against Kairat Almaty, and it has to be said, one reason they didn’t was down to Gyokeres.
With seconds to spare, Arsenal looked as though they’d become the first Champions League team to win eight league phase games in a row by a two-goal margin.
Kairat Almaty rained on the Gunners’ parade by reducing the deficit to one with seconds to spare, but if it weren’t for Gyokeres, Mikel Arteta’s side would’ve been well out of reach.
Who was Arsenal’s Man of the Match vs Kairat Almaty?
Viktor Gyokeres missed too many chances against Kairat Almaty
It might seem unfair to place blame on Gyokeres, but there’s a reason for the frustration.
When the Swede scored in the second minute, many envisioned the £64m signing leaving the Emirates at the end of the night with the matchball.
Instead, he did something extraordinary, and not for the right reasons.
Describe Viktor Gyokeres’ performance against Kairat in THREE words
Last season in the Champions League, Gyokeres played eight times for Sporting CP, and in that time, he missed four big chances.
Against Kairat Almaty, he missed four big chances in the FIRST HALF alone, leaving Arsenal fans sceptical about how good his performance really was.
The night was celebratory in that Gyokeres hit double figures for the season in all competitions, but it was simultaneously a cause for concern as he could have, and should have, scored a lot more.
Gyokeres isn’t the striker Mikel Arteta thought he was
Gyokeres scored, but his night was overshadowed by what he didn’t convert.
The levels that the striker is producing are a real concern, as they’re nothing like those of the forward who scored 54 goals last season.
Fill in the blank: Mikel Arteta must start ______________ up front vs Leeds…
When Gyokeres first signed, Arteta explained what he expected the Sweden international to bring to his Arsenal squad.
“He brings a clinical edge with a high conversion rate of chances into goals, with his intelligent movement in the box making him a constant threat,” the Arsenal manager said.
Against Kairat, Gyokeres made it clear that he’s not yet ready to produce what the manager anticipated, missing as many big chances to score in 45 minutes as he did last season.
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