On paper, Arsenal are leading the Premier League title race and just advanced to the Champions League semi-final. Life can't get much better at the Emirates, right?
Well, the reality forms a slightly different narrative. On the pitch, they've won just one of their last five games and failed to score once from open play in that time.
Gyokeres-Arsenal-Arteta
Defeat against Manchester City this weekend would hand Pep Guardiola's side the chance to eventually draw level in the title race and perhaps the less said about Arsenal's performance against Sporting CP, the better.
Gyokeres continues to struggle at Arsenal
The biggest red flag for Arsenal against the Portuguese outfit is they looked distinctly abject in final third despite stealing their best player less than 12 months ago.
Viktor Gyokeres arrived to transform the Gunners' frontline once and for all. One of Europe's best goal scorers was expected to add the final touches to Mikel Arteta's side at long last and his numbers suggest that he's done exactly that.
The Swede has scored 18 goals in all competitions in what sounds like an excellent debut season. Alas, take a deeper dive, and it's clear that Arsenal have a big-game problem courtesy of the £63.5m man.
Gyokeres record vs current top 6
Games
Goals
Assists
The numbers are damning. Gyokeres has failed to score a single goal against the current top six in the Premier League and followed that up with another quiet performance on the big stage against Sporting, subbed before an hour had even been played.
Every time Arsenal have squared off against real quality, their one-dimensional striker has been pocketed time and time again far too easily.
Gyokeres-Arsenal
It happened at Anfield, as Virgil van Dijk dominated. It happened against Manchester United and Chelsea. And it will happen against Manchester City once again this weekend.
When the Arsenal man is unable to bully his opposing central defenders or sprint in behind at an unmatched speed, he is forced to rely on a weak technical ability.
It's why he struggles to hold the ball up and bring others into play - creating less than one chance per game - and why the Gunners must turn to Julian Alvarez.
Arsenal could sign Gyokeres upgrade
According to Caught Offside, Arsenal are now accelerating a move to sign Alvarez which could be worth a club-record £104m to solve their Gyokeres problem this summer.
Indeed, the report notes that Arsenal are currently focusing on establishing a strong relationship with the player's camp before entering formal negotiations with Atletico.
atletico-madrid-alvarez
Whilst Gyokeres was failing to find the back of the net across two legs against his former club, Alvarez was stealing the show against Barcelona.
The former Manchester City man put Atletico Madrid's rivals to the sword, especially in the first leg when he netted a stunning free-kick at the Nou Camp.
The biggest difference between Gyokeres and Alvarez is that it's difficult to name the latter's biggest weakness. He is the complete player, scoring 18 goals and creating another nine in all competitions this season.
Arsenal have suffered when playing into their big-money striker this season, whose loose touch has proved all too costly. But they would thrive with Alvarez in the same role.
Alvarez vs La Liga top 4
Games
Goals
Assists
It's almost as if Alvarez saves his best performances for the big games. Against La Liga's top four so far this season, the 26-year-old has been involved in seven goals in nine games, compared to Gyokeres' dire record at the Emirates this season.
Those moments to remember have come with deserved praise, too. The journalistic producer behind Argentina's World Cup documentary, Pablo Gonzalez went as far to say: "Julián has so much humility that it is difficult for him to talk about himself, it is unusual. He's a monster, but it's hard for him. A beautiful kid. He is the one who caressed the World Cup trophy the most, almost as if it were a baby."
Julian-Alvarez-timeless-stats
He should have been their top priority last summer, but Arsenal have every chance to make up for lost time by signing Alvarez 12 months later.
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