Why Arsenal Must Follow Four-Step Plan With Viktor Gyokeres

The Swede scored goals for fun in Portugal for Sporting CP. But after a tough baptism of fire at Arsenal, things need to change on both sides to ignite his north London career.

Arsenal striker Viktor Gyökeres is yet to gel with his new surroundings. / James Gill/Danehouse/Getty Images

Arsenal and Viktor Gyökeres resemble a new couple still learning about each other. The chemistry’s not yet right. Doubts grow about their compatibility, about whether they rushed into the relationship and should the team return to old flames like Gabriel Jesus or Kai Havertz or the versatile Mikel Merino. 

Almost 24 hours of shared company should have elicited more than seven goals from Gyökeres, two of which were penalties, and no assists. Arsenal and Gyökeres have to make the union work better by adapting to each other. That’s the way in any relationship. It’s a partnership.

Building that connection, and bringing the best out of Gyökeres, may define whether Arsenal win their first Premier League title in 22 years, let alone their first ever Champions League. So how to solve the Gyökeres conundrum? Four steps have to be taken ... 

FREE NEWSLETTER. New SI FC Newsletter Global Embed. Sign Up to Get Informed With SI FC. dark

---

More Chances to Put Away

Viktor Gyökeres has just seven Arsenal goals to his name so far. / James Gill-Danehouse/Getty Images

Firstly, he needs better service. When scoring 97 times in 102 appearances for Sporting CP in Portugal, Gyökeres enjoyed the expert delivery of Pote (Pedro Gonçalves) and Francisco Trincão. He built a good understanding with the Portuguese wingers, playing 1-2s, getting in the box, knowing the return ball would come. They passed and crossed, he raided and plundered.  

The Primeira Liga cannot compare with the Premier League in range and depth of quality and challenges, in pace and physicality, but Gyökeres still put three goals past Ederson when Sporting thrashed Manchester City 13 months ago. Two were penalties, but on the basis that the mighty Erling Haaland missed from the spot for City that night, Gyökeres’s reliability from 12 yards should be acknowledged. It's also worth noting that Pote and Trincao played that night. Gyökeres is a good striker—with the right service.

At Arsenal, Mikel Arteta fields wide players in Bukayo Saka and, frequently, Leandro Trossard who often cut inside and shoot, rather than tee up the centre forward. They are not really used to having one. Gyökeres would have taken the simple finish from a Saka cross that Gabriel Martinelli wasted against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday. He craves those crosses. Saka and Trossard have to pick Gyökeres out more. 

We need to continue to tweak and understand him a little bit better.

- Arteta on Gyökeres—Dec. 2025.

Gyökeres has a decent return of 15 in 30 for a Sweden side more focused on Alexander Isak, fitness permitting. With his national team, Gyökeres benefits from the supply of Dejan Kulusevski, Anthony Elanga and others. 

The 27-year-old also likes early balls, especially those played over a high defensive line to race on to. Arsenal should deliver more of those, especially Martin Ødegaard when drifting centrally. Sometimes Arsenal need to be less elaborate and more direct. Myles Lewis-Skelly has spotted it, especially Gyökeres’s love of working the inside-left channel. 

---

Better Movement, Intense Coaching

Raheem Sterling has spoken of Mikel Arteta’s influence on the training ground. / Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC/Getty Images

Secondly, the onus is on Gyökeres to adapt to his teammates. It’s you, Viktor, as well as them. He needs to lift the level of his game, beginning with his movement. There were times against Brighton when he didn’t escape his marker, so teammates didn’t pass. He could have taken a step back, wrong-footed his marker, and attacked the near-post.

It might be simply an issue of confidence. He began promisingly at Arsenal but is still regaining his sharpness, mentally and technically, following a hamstring injury suffered against Burnley on November 1 which ruled him out for 29 days. 

The third step to be taken on the road to Gyökeres’s full assimilation into Arsenal’s starting line-up involves Arteta’s coaching. It’s a step that will already have been taken. 

Arteta’s one-on-one work in training will improve Gyökeres. I talked to Raheem Sterling once about Arteta’s coaching during the Spaniard’s time as Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City. Sterling spoke highly of Arteta’s technical work, enhancing the winger’s qualities and particularly the art of taking the ball at pace and advancing in the same movement. To dismiss Gyökeres currently is to ignore the possibility of his learning fast under Arteta and acclimatising to these rarefied heights. 

Arteta’s backroom staff are more defensively inclined, including Gabriel Heinze, the former Manchester United and Argentina full back. So a fourth step would be to invite that embodiment of belief, and clinical finishing, Ian Wright into London Colney for some private tuition for Gyökeres. 

---

Viktor Gyökeres 2025-26 Statistics

• Premier League Appearances: 16
• Premier League Goals: 5
• Minutes: 1.090
• Minutes per goal: 218

• Champions League Appearances: 4
• Champions League Goals: 2
• Minutes: 300
• Minutes per goal: 75

---

Boost Confidence With an Outside Influence

There could be no better influence than Ian Wright. / Mark Leech/OffsideGetty Images

Only Thierry Henry scored more goals for Arsenal than Wright. He is such an ebullient, uplifting character and club legend that Gyökeres would surely stride back to the pavilion after a shooting session with Wright with belief enhanced. His lack of confidence was very evident against Brighton. Before being replaced after 71 minutes, Gyökeres managed only 17 touches, including six passes, three of which went astray. He was dispossessed another three times. That's poor.

His early side-footed shot lacked power and belief. He tried to place his finish rather than hammer it past Bart Verbruggen. Wright would have rifled it in, no doubt, no hesitation, or lifted it unerringly over the advancing keeper. Gyökeres also reacted too slowly to a loose Saka shot, allowing Jan Paul van Hecke to intercept. He went close but was denied by Verbruggen and the post. It was a below-par performance that concerned many Arsenal fans. 

Wright was such a clever mover in the box, so adept at losing markers, that Gyökeres would learn from him. Wright could also talk to the newcomer about meeting expectations at Arsenal. 

These four steps need taking, and certainly the first three will be. Arsenal have other concerns than Gyökeres, such as keeping Saka fit in a sport where opponents keep chopping the winger down, and keeping the workaholic Declan Rice free of fatigue. Arsenal compete for four trophies and need every squad member delivering. Gyökeres has to step up. He was supposed to be the missing piece in Arsenal’s title puzzle.

Their closest challengers, Manchester City, have Haaland as their No. 9. He has an astonishing 19 goals in 18 Premier League games this season. Gyökeres has five in 16. Fresh from his two goals against Chelsea, Ollie Watkins looks to be returning to form and favour at third-placed Aston Villa, who visit the Emirates on Tuesday. 

Best Strikers in the World. The 25 Best Strikers in World Soccer—Ranked. dark. Next

---

A Divided Fanbase

Arsenal’s fans aren’t convinced by Gyökeres to date. / Catherine Ivill/AMA/Getty Images

Arteta’s selection for such an important game will be scrutinised even more closely than usual. Gyökeres or Jesus? Gyökeres or Merino? The Gyökeres discourse among Arsenal fans becomes increasingly deafening and divisive. The fanbase’s extensive presence on social media can best be described as volcanic, prone to regular eruptions. Even on the moderated and more measured fans’ online forums, Gyökeres stirs intense debate. Views range from “sell him now”, “loan him now” to “build around him”. Gyökeres is either the future of Arsenal Football Club or should be consigned to their past. 

Some supporters remain sanguine, reflecting the club’s old tradition of keeping things in perspective. They will give Gyökeres time to find his way and his routes to goal. Arsenal waited years for a centre forward so what’s a few months’ settling in? 

Gyökeres was a signing pushed by Andrea Berta, Arsenal’s sporting director, as much as Arteta, who initially favoured the younger Benjamin Šeško. Not many elite centre forwards exist in the era of wide forwards. Liam Delap and Sesko have hardly delivered with Chelsea and United respectively. Of all the new strikers to the Premier League this season, really only Hugo Ekitiké, especially, and Nick Woltemade have hit the ground running and scoring – and Woltemade is more a 10 than 9. 

Arteta contends that his No. 14, who boldly took Henry’s old digits, is about more than goals. He describes Gyökeres’s pressing and hold-up play as “phenomenal”. He undeniably brings plenty to Arsenal without the goals. He’s a focal point, who pins centre backs, occupies them, creating space and chances for teammates. 

Gyökeres’s relentless pressing work gets missed when he goes off. Opponents regain some control. Arsenal currently work out how to avoid conceding late goals and it is worth considering Gyökeres’s whereabouts. When Brian Brobbey scored for Sunderland, Gyökeres was absent injured. He was on the field when Emi Buendia struck at Aston Villa. But he had just been replaced when Tolu Arokodare scored for Wolves. Marc Guéhi’s equaliser for Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup came with Gyökeres on the bench. 

He’s an important player for Arsenal. Similarly in Gyökeres’s defence, how do Havertz and Jesus fare against more muscular centre backs? Not so well. Havertz cost similar to Gyökeres and unfortunately is occasionally held back by injuries. He’s played one game this season. Jesus has one start in a year and is not prolific. Merino is needed in midfield. Arsenal have to persevere with Gyökeres. He also has to raise his game. The four steps might get him up to speed.

---

READ THE LATEST ARSENAL NEWS, TRANSFER RUMOURS AND MORE

feed