It wasn't exactly a thriller on Tuesday night for Arsenal in the Champions League, nor was it a particularly enjoyable return to Lisbon for summer signing, Viktor Gyokeres. Back at his old stomping ground, the man who hit 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting CP was hardly involved in proceedings against his former side, registering just 18 touches in that 90-minute outing.
The Swede may have received a largely warm reception from the home crowd, but the view of the Portuguese media was far more biting, with A Bola notably writing that the 27-year-old was 'barely visible' on the night. From the highs of his international break heroics for his country, this was a regression to the norm as far as his Arsenal stay is concerned.
Something needs to change...
How Arteta can get Gyokeres firing at Arsenal
It's certainly not been a disaster debut season for Gyokeres, far from it in fact, having scored 17 times in all competitions, including in the most recent Premier League clash with Everton.
Ahead of Saturday's meeting with Bournemouth, however, Mikel Arteta will need to ensure that there is not a repeat performance from midweek, with Arsenal's number 14 having been so starved of service against the Portuguese side. Excluding being offside in the build-up to Martin Zubimendi's would-be goal, Gyokeres was a bystander to proceedings, registering just seven passes, winning just two of seven duels and actually only recording seven sprints.
The one-time Coventry City man is, of course, responsible for not getting more involved, although he's feeding off scraps at times, hardly aided by the woes of Martin Odegaard behind him. The once majestic Norwegian appears to have lost his spark and his previously lauded creative streak, having only made six passes into the final third, while registering just a solitary touch in the opposition box.
Gyokeres vs Sporting CP
Stat
Record
Minutes
90
Touches
18
Pass accuracy
78%
Ball lost
5
Total shots
2
Big chances missed
1
Sprints
7
Carries
5
Ground duels
2/6
Aerial duels
0/1
With only two key passes made to boot, the Gunners captain just hasn't found that connection with Gyokeres as yet, ensuring a different solution could well be needed in that advanced midfield role.
Why Arsenal's new Bergkamp could be the man to revive Gyokeres
With Odegaard's fitness in doubt and Eberechi Eze only just back in contention, that number ten or creative number eight role is something of a headache for Arteta to solve ahead of the visit of the Cherries.
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There might well be a clamour to see Max Dowman unleashed in Odegaard's place, although with the 16-year-old's best work coming off the right flank so far, that might well be his home in the short-term. Instead, Arteta may look to strike up something of a partnership involving Gyokeres and Kai Havertz, the German having been the hero off the bench in midweek to seal a vital 1-0 win.
Injured for much of the campaign, the 27-year-old has made a positive return to action of late, with Tuesday's effort a further reminder of his quality as he deftly controlled Gabriel Martinelli's lofted pass before slotting home with ease. That ability to kill the ball dead and showcase such composure was also a reminder as to why he has been hailed as a "[Dennis] Bergkamp kind of player" in the past by Paul Merson during his Chelsea days.
Bergkamp, in his pomp, was evidently a class above, although it is easy to see the likeness between the pair, both physically impressive figures who aren't necessarily pigeon-holed in one position, not a pure number ten nor an orthodox striker.
There's a silk and class to Havertz's game that certainly mirrors the Dutchman, ensuring he could be the man to get Arsenal's current number 14 firing ahead of him.
Gyokeres might not be the modern-day Thierry Henry, yet like the iconic Frenchman, he is in need of service if he is to flourish, with there already evidence to suggest that Havertz can be the man to provide the goods. Against Southampton last weekend, for instance, it was Havertz's pull-back which found Gyokeres inside the area, the pair showcasing why Arteta has stressed that they can play together as part of the forward line.
With Havertz - who notably created eight 'big chances' in his debut Premier League season with the Gunners - such an asset as a link man, the £65m star could be just the solution that Gyokeres is craving. Why not try it out from the start against Andoni Iraola's side?
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