Some might say that Arsenal struggle to score goals. That is true, but it does not paint the whole picture.
This season, Mikel Arteta's men are the second top scorers in the Premier League, just two goals behind Manchester City.
So, what's the fuss about? Well, they simply struggle to create chances to actually score from. It's something of a miracle really that Viktor Gyokeres has found the net on 18 occasions in all competitions.
Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres celebrates after the match
Indeed, throughout 2025/26, the Gunners have created 357 chances which places them fourth in the division for that metric. It's some way behind the leading team in England's top-flight for that stat. Liverpool have 405 and it's also some way behind Manchester City with 391.
While it does feel as though whoever Arteta selects to lead the line will not truly solve this problem, surely giving someone else a go over Gyokeres would be beneficial.
The big problem with Viktor Gyokeres at Arsenal
Has Gyokeres been a success at the Emirates Stadium? Well, it depends who you ask really.
He is Arsenal's top scorer so it's hard to suggest it's been a total disaster but he was billed as the man to take Arteta's side to the title; it hasn't quite been plain sailing.
Gyokeres-Odegaard-Arsenal
At times, the hulking Swede has fitted the bill. For a small period, it looked as though he was finally finding his footing.
He scored eight times in 12 games between the 3-2 win over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup in January and the North London derby at the end of February. That game against Spurs, in particular, was brilliant.
Gary Neville came away from the clash describing it as "his best moment of the season." Why? Neville summarised things well. "Not just because he scored two in a game against the biggest rivals, but because his general performance from start to finish is what you would expect from him."
Yet, since that brace, he has struggled to kick on. He even struggled to kick on after scoring the goal that sent Sweden to the 2026 World Cup.
Across Gyokeres' last five Arsenal games, he has scored just once and he's really finding it difficult to impact games. His hold-up play is well below the level required, particularly when you compare it to Kai Havertz.
Arsenal-Gyokeres-Havertz
The most alarming thing, however, is the lack of technical security. 40% of the striker's touches in the Premier League this season have been unsuccessful and even when he takes the ball in his stride, it looks like an uncoordinated mess.
There's no denying that Gyokeres is a fantastic finisher. His 20% conversion rate in the league this term is better than Erling Haaland's (18%). It's just the other things he does with the ball, which, frankly, is not a lot of the time.
Best conversion rates: Premier League strikers
Player
1) Eli Kroupi Jr
2) Danny Welbeck
3) Brian Brobbey
4) Joao Pedro
5) Beto
6) Igor Thiago
7) Viktor Gyokeres
8) Nick Woltemade
9) Erling Haaland
10) Callum Wilson
So, even with Havertz expected to miss Arsenal's Champions League semi-final first leg vs Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, Gyokeres should not start.
Arsenal's Gyokeres solution
It speaks volumes of Gyokeres' recent performances that Arteta has preferred Havertz as the central striker.
Against City, the German missed a host of gilt-edged chances but he did score and he made Arsenal look a better team overall. Beyond his finishing, the former Chelsea man was exceptional in that defeat at the Etihad.
As a result, he was given the nod against Newcastle last weekend but had to be withdrawn in the first half due to injury. Gyokeres came on but hardly set the world alight. The big-money summer signing didn't have a shot on target, managed just 17 touches and completed only five passes.
Where could Arteta turn to? Well, if Havertz is out, he only really has two solutions. One of them is Gabriel Jesus and the other is Leandro Trossard. Look, we didn't say they were awe-inspiring fixes to the problem, did we?
Trossard-Arsenal
Jesus has arguably had an even worse campaign than Gyokeres, scoring just five times. Trossard has not been much better. In fact, the Belgian has not scored in over 20 games and is yet to find the net in 2026.
However, if they are looking for something different, Trossard could give them that as something of a false 9. If you were not aware, the 31-year-old has a pretty solid record when playing as a centre forward for the Gunners.
While the winger has played 114 times on the left, scoring 26 times and assisting 17, he has eight goals and 12 assists in 25 matches from a more central role. On that evidence, he could bring others into play far more than Gyokeres has.
Crucially on a big night in the Champions League, Trossard has been a clutch player ever since he arrived at Arsenal. Call him a modern-day Aaron Ramsey, if you will.
Koscielny-Ramsey-Cazorla-Arsenal
Ramsey was always the man of the big occasion, notably scoring two FA Cup final-winning goals. While the Belgium international has not quite replicated those feats just yet, he comes alive when it matters most, just as the Welshman did.
When he scored 17 goals during the 2023/24 season, Trossard netted a late equaliser to rescue a point against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, scored against Liverpool, scored again against Chelsea and bagged against Manchester United.
He was also vital in Europe, finding the net at a crucial time against Porto in the knock-out stages and firing home an equaliser with 14 minutes left of their quarter-final first leg with Bayern Munich.
If he could generate magic moments like that again, Arteta would no doubt be delighted. Perhaps it's worth handing him a start on Wednesday night.
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