Mikel Arteta implored Viktor Gyokeres to “maintain the momentum that he’s built after the great performance that he had against Chelsea” when explaining why the Swede was again chosen ahead of Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz to start for Arsenal on Saturday.
Those questioning quite how much momentum the £64m striker had build through scoring an open goal from a couple of yards out were given a comprehensive answer just before half-time at the City Ground when Gyokeres was given a five-yard head start on Murillo in a foot-race from the halfway line.
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It felt like the sort of opportunity we saw Gyokeres score from on a bi-weekly basis for Sporting – the Gyokeres goal. He would storm through the centre of the pitch and finish before the goalkeeper even knew what was happening, with the defender further behind the striker than they were when the opportunity first presented itself. It was inevitable.
But after six months of nothing at Arsenal, Murillo ate up the ground, got ahead of Gyokeres and blocked his shot. It was inevitable.
Despite his goal at Stamford Bridge, Gyokeres looked f***ing miserable in his post-match interview. “That’s what I need to do and I can do it more often,” he said when asked about scoring for just the second time since November 1. Even his Bane celebration was muted and forced. He doesn’t even care about putting on the mask.
Arteta’s concern over Arsenal’s attack will be far broader than Gyokeres. This goalless draw with Nottingham Forest follows the goalless draw with Liverpool in the Premier League. Neither Bukayo Saka nor Mikel Merino have scored since the 2-0 over Brentford at the start of December. Of the 13 goals the Gunners have scored in the eight top flight games since, three were own goals and Leandro Trossard (2) and Gabriel Jesus are the only forwards to have found the net, other than Gyokeres’ penalty.
It could therefore be viewed as a tad unfair to again be singling Gyokeres out for criticism. But a combination of him being the supposed last piece of the Arsenal puzzle when he was signed after such a protracted transfer saga in the summer and him being this useless makes him impossible to ignore.
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The shot that was blocked by Murillo was his only effort in his 57 minutes on the pitch. He had ten touches and two in the box, played six passes, of which he misplaced two, made no tackles or blocks, lost both of his ground duels, all five of his aerial duels, won no fouls and committed one. That is a deplorable game of football from a professional.
His remaining apologists will claim his teammates aren’t doing him any favours, chopping back when in crossing positions, failing to play first-time balls in behind for him to run onto. But top quality strikers adapt.
Erling Haaland used to score goals for Borussia Dortmund like Gyokeres scored for Sporting. He now spends the vast majority of his time on the pitch for Manchester City hugely frustrated, but typically ends games with a goal or goals. Gyokeres ends them sulking from the bench.
It’s genuinely hard to remember any striker having such little impact, particularly if we’re subscribing to the silver-lining cliche used to excuse flopping strikers since the dawn of time. “At least he’s getting chances to miss” they say.
Gyokeres isn’t. He’s doing sod all. Drop him and then sell him. What a monumental waste of space and money.