Mikel Arteta sends message to Viktor Gyokeres amid Arsenal goal drought

Viktor Gyokeres has been waiting eight games for his next goal, but Mikel Arteta has no concerns over the striker

Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres will be eager to break his eight-game goal drought for both club and country on Saturday. The striker kicked off the season with a bang, netting three goals in his first four matches, but has since struggled to hit the target.

Even when paired with Alexander Isak for Sweden, the duo, who many would expect to be prolific against Switzerland and Kosovo, failed to score. Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, however, sees this as a stark reminder of the challenges all strikers face. “It’s a good representation of what is football,” he said. “Football is not you put those two players there and then everything is gone and we’re going to score… If they score 45 and 55, we’re going to score 100 goals.”

“It doesn’t work like this and it’s a really good example of how tough this industry and this sport is, and even with the best ssible ingredients, sometimes it’s not enough to win.” However, Gunners fans will be heartened by Arteta’s assertion that the Arsenal forward has returned to north London ahead of the weekend rejuvenated and ready to end his goalless streak.

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I”I think if that’s done something, it’s even [made him] more eager and more determined to do what it has to do here,” Arteta added.

When asked if the 27-year-old was trying too hard, Arteta quickly dismissed the idea. According to the Arsenal boss, the dry spell has more to do with bad luck than anything Gyokeres is doing wrong.

“I don’t think so,” Arteta responded. “I think he’s in the right zone. I think he’s been very unlucky.”

“The more I watch some of the actions, very, very unlucky not to score another four or five goals easily by now. They will come, and sometimes he will have that luck that he probably didn’t have before.”

Before Gyokeres’ arrival, both Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus operated as false nine-type centre-forwards, whereas the Swede came in with a greater traditional style. Both he and his teammates are continuing to adapt to this new partnership.

However, Arteta believes that aside from his goal threat, his contributions have met his expectations. He offered a peek into the conversations they had before he was signed, including in the very scenarios where goals perhaps desert the number nine for an undefined period.

“Yes, but he brings so much to the team and watching the games back, I’m very pleased with what he’s given to the team,” Arteta said. “I told him before the press meeting, I said, “The nine that I want is a nine that when he doesn’t score for six or eight games, he can handle that.’

“If not, you have to go somewhere else because the pressure is gone, the expectation is going to be there.

“So, if you put it on a nine shirt on for Arsenal, you have to be able to say, OK, six games, don’t score. I’m a different player? I start to act in a different way?

“I want much more of the same of what he’s doing. Once we have those opportunities, I’m sure it’s going to happen.”

Just five teams have let in more goals in the Premier League than Fulham this season.

Gyokeres, therefore, has a brilliant chance to end his goal drought.

Arsenal predicted XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Zubimendi, Rice, Eze; Saka, Gyokeres, Martinelli (4-3-3).

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