1 month ago
Viktor Gyökeres was astatine nan bosom of 1 of Arsenal’s champion attacking displays of nan play astatine nan weekend, scoring doubly and grabbing an assistance arsenic Mikel Arteta’s broadside dismantled Fulham 3-0 astatine nan Emirates connected Saturday.
The Swede’s opener, a close-range tap-in pursuing excellent activity down nan correct from Bukayo Saka, was his 20th extremity successful each competitions for Arsenal this term. A header connected nan changeable of half-time efficaciously sealed nan consequence and took Gyökeres to 21 goals successful his debut campaign.
Having cost £55m successful nan summer, Gyökeres came successful for immoderate disapproval for not instantly delivering nan goals that seemed to beryllium nan past constituent needed for Arsenal to yet triumph nan Premier League. That disapproval has not been wholly unfounded. At times, Gyökeres has looked isolated, struggling to nexus play arsenic efficaciously arsenic personification for illustration Kai Havertz, and Arsenal’s guardant statement has occasionally lacked cohesion pinch him starring it.
He has besides had his stock of extremity droughts, scoring conscionable 3 times successful his first 11 competitory appearances for nan club, earlier different thin spot betwixt precocious November and nan commencement of nan twelvemonth that yielded only 1 extremity successful 10 games.
But 2026 has proved much fruitful. Gyökeres has scored 14 goals since nan commencement of nan twelvemonth successful each competitions, much than immoderate different Premier League player. Across Europe’s apical 5 leagues, only 3 players person scored much goals this year: Harry Kane (24), Vinicius Junior (16) and Lamine Yamal (15).
It’s worthy putting into discourse what Gyökeres has delivered. He’s nan first subordinate to people 20 aliases much goals successful each competitions successful his first play astatine Arsenal since Alexis Sánchez successful 2014-15 (25). The only different subordinate to do it successful nan Premier League era is Thierry Henry successful 1999-2000 (26).
Before Sánchez and Henry, Ian Wright was nan past to clear nan 20-goal people successful his first season, scoring 26 successful 1991-92. Across nan club’s full history, Gyökeres is only nan 13th subordinate to do it.
Even personification for illustration Robin van Persie – 1 of Arsenal’s astir prolific scorers successful nan Premier League era – did not execute this. The Dutchman scored conscionable 9 times successful his debut play successful 2004-05.
Another communal disapproval of Gyökeres is that a important stock of his goals person been penalties. Three of his 14 Premier League goals person travel from nan spot (21.4%). Sure, that’s a higher proportionality than Erling Haaland (12.5%), but it’s little than Igor Thiago (36.4%) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (25%), some of whom are having fantabulous campaigns successful beforehand of goal.
What’s much – and this isn’t to propose Gyökeres is operating astatine their level – but Kane (30% of his goals this play from penalties) and Kylian Mbappé (29%) are besides deadly from 12 yards. Good finishers people penalties. Being reliable from nan spot is besides a valuable asset. Gyökeres’ effort against Atlético Madrid successful nan Champions League semi-final first limb past week was his 27th consecutive successfully converted penalty, which shows he has nan nervus to present successful high-pressure moments.
It’s besides worthy remembering that Gyökeres was not only signed for his expertise to find nan net, but for nan abstraction he creates for those astir him. His powerful moving down guidance defences was connected afloat show against Fulham, pinch crisp activity into nan channels complemented by immoderate refined centre-forward play successful nan build-up to Saka’s goal.
Rightly aliases wrongly, though, he will beryllium judged connected his goals, which person helped gain Arsenal a six-point lead astatine nan acme successful nan Premier League. How galore much he tin adhd crossed their remaining 3 games whitethorn good determine wherever nan Premier League and Champions League trophies reside travel nan extremity of nan month.
This is an article by Opta Analyst
