There remains such a will for Viktor Gyokeres to succeed at Arsenal, yet with the first half of the season at an end, it just simply hasn't worked out for the Swede so far.
Against Aston Villa last time out, the £63.5m man notably saw his header fly agonisingly over the crossbar, having also spurned an early chance against former club Brighton and Hove Albion, after side-footing his effort straight at the grateful Bart Verbruggen.
Arsenal-Gyokeres-stats-vs-Villa
A year ago, amid his red-hot form for Sporting CP, the 27-year-old would likely have leathered that attempt past the Dutchman, but now looking short on confidence and influence, he appears half the player who netted 97 goals in just 102 games in Lisbon.
Viewed as perhaps the missing piece amid the Gunners' recent title woes, on current evidence, it looks like Mikel Arteta's side will win the Premier League in spite of their marquee summer signing, and not because of him.
The one-time Coventry City hero looks like he needs to come out of the firing line, although if it's any consolation, he isn't the only centre-forward summer signing to have made a stuttering start to 2025/26.
How Gyokeres compares to other Premier League striker signings
It was the summer of the big number nine, although following a transfer merry-go-round, there have been rather mixed results for Premier League forwards of late.
Gyokeres 2024-25 season in numbers (timeless) (1)
Prior to settling on Gyokeres, it had looked as if the Gunners would be turning their attention to RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko. The Slovenian has since scored just twice for Manchester United.
A longer-term target had also been that of wantaway Newcastle United man, Alexander Isak, although Gyokeres' Sweden colleague ultimately secured a British-record switch to Liverpool.
Now out with a reported leg break, the 25-year-old had scored just two league goals for his new club prior to that.
An even greater disaster has also occurred in west London, with Liam Delap yet to score a single top-flight goal for Chelsea, while Joao Pedro has also flattered to deceive for the Blues, albeit while notching six league goals to date.
Gyokeres vs PL Summer Signings*
Player
Sesko
Isak
Ekitike
Gyokeres
Delap
J. Pedro
Woltemade
Calvert-Lewin
*selected
The two biggest high-profile success stories have, instead, come from the Bundesliga, with Hugo Ekitike and Nick Woltemade scoring 15 league goals combined for Liverpool and Newcastle, respectively, while the more muted free transfer capture of Dominic Calvert-Lewin has worked wonders for Leeds, following the Englishman's eight-goal league goal.
Gyokeres, as is evident, is not at the bottom of that pile, but he's nowhere near the top, with Saturday's clash with Bournemouth providing the perfect chance to shake things up.
Arsenal's new Ian Wright can now replace Gyokeres
Had Kai Havertz not missed much of the campaign through injury, there would have been a real conversation to be had over who should be Arteta's starting striker, with the German having been the go-to man last season.
Back on the bench against Villa last time out, the 26-year-old's return might come sooner rather than later, having scored 22 league goals across the last two campaigns combined.
The problem? Well, there is now a new contender for that number nine berth in the form of the resurgent Gabriel Jesus, with the Brazilian marking his fine recent comeback with that stunning strike against Unai Emery's men.
A man who looked dead and buried at the Emirates, having gone almost a year without scoring due to injury, the former Manchester City star is ready to challenge Gyokeres and Havertz again.
Of course, it has been three-and-a-half years hampered by stints on the sidelines, but at his best, Jesus is such a handful, notably looking the part right from the off on debut against Crystal Palace.
Jesus-Trossard-Zubimendi-Arsenal
That August night at Selhurst Park, which also saw William Saliba make his first Gunners appearance, showcased everything the Brazil international is all about, subsequently lauded as "magical" by Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville.
Such a bright start also saw Arsenal hero Nigel Winterburn describe Jesus as "like Ian Wright" due to his goal-scoring prowess, having previously scored 95 goals in 236 games during his time at the Etihad.
Like Wright - who hit 185 goals for the club - there is such finesse and poise to his finishing. Be it a deft chip or a curled effort from range, he is the type of striker who can make finishing look easier.
Just 27 goals in 102 games have followed in north London - alongside 20 assists - after his Manchester highs, but at his best, he appears to be everything Gyokeres isn't.
Jesus-Arteta-Arsenal
Electric, dynamic, fluid. Comfortable drifting into wide areas and dropping deep to terrorise centre-backs.
With the benefit of having also been part of a string of successful title bids at City, the 28-year-old could be the missing piece that Arteta has been waiting for all this time, with Gyokeres yet to prove he can be just that.
Keeping Jesus available and managing his fitness will be imperative over the coming weeks and months, but the comeback kid deserves a run of games to prove his worth.
With just 18 months left on his current deal, this must well be last chance saloon.
Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres Related
[Arteta has a "Bergkamp kind of player" who can end Gyokeres' Arsenal career](https://www.footballfancast.com/kai-havertz-can-end-gyokeres-arsenal-career/ "Arteta has a "Bergkamp kind of player" who can end Gyokeres' Arsenal career")
Viktor Gyokeres is finding life difficult at Arsenal.