Viktor Gyökeres arrived to thunderous applause at the Emirates, his name drawing the loudest cheer before kick-off.
But after 60 minutes in his home debut against Villarreal, the media verdict was largely unanimous: promising in moments, but ultimately a subdued introduction.
Viktor fires a blank NEW GUNNER GYOKERES OFF TARGET ON HIS EMIRATES DEBUT Daily Mail7 Aug 2025ISAAN KHAN
Daily Mail back page, 7 August 2025
Sky Sports labelled the Swedish international the “talk of the Emirates Stadium before the game”, yet noted a “minor anti-climax” once the football began. With just 14 touches and two shots, one blocked and one saved, his influence was limited.
However, analysts praised his movement, particularly into the left channel, and his willingness to attack space.
BBC Sport reflected the crowd’s anticipation, observing that each time the ball approached the Swede, there was a sense of hope, even as clear-cut chances failed to materialise. They, too, pointed to the importance of match fitness and integration into the side’s patterns of play.
The Telegraph described the evening as one of “firsts”, but highlighted Arsenal’s “sloppy” display and the lack of service to Gyökeres.
It noted brief flashes of connection with Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka, but also growing concern among pundits that Arsenal’s attacking patterns will need adjusting to accommodate a true No.9.
‘Goal-pig’ Gyokeres left hungry as Dowman delivers The Daily Telegraph7 Aug 2025By Jason Burt CHIEF FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT at the Emirates Stadium Report card: Mixed fortunes for Viktor Gyokeres (far left), Christian Norgaard (above) and Max Dowman (left) As a scouting report for Viktor Gyokeres, the verdict was clear: he must do better. But also Arsenal must do better for him. As a school report for Max Dowman’s – given his age – the conclusion was far more emphatic. Wow, what a talent. What a player, never mind a prospect – and at just 15. Lucky it was a 6pm kick-off. The teen sensation was one of six pre-planned changes just after the hour and made his first first-team appearance at the Emirates. Off came Gyokeres, on came Dowman. Asked how Dowman’s older team-mates have responded to him being in the squad, manager Mikel Arteta said: “The reaction is very clear. They have the ball and they give it to him… there can be nothing more than that.” If Gyokeres’s name was loudly cheered when the starting line-up was announced, it was drowned out by the reception given to Dowman, who was superbly, preternaturally creative for his age and thrillingly earned a penalty – just as he had done in another pre-season fixture, against Newcastle United in Singapore – that almost led to Arsenal salvaging this friendly against Villarreal. But, overall, the performance in a 3-2 defeat was sloppy. There were even the first boos of the season, in the first home appearance, with a smattering at the final whistle. But what of Gyokeres? The £64m centre-forward, the missing piece of an expensively-assembled What a player, never mind a prospect – and at just 15. Lucky it was a 6pm kick-off jigsaw, or so Arteta hopes, made his full debut and knows the weight of history of wearing that No14 shirt – and the expectation. But only once did he come close to scoring – and that was just before he was replaced – as he was finally threaded through only for his angled shot to be beaten away. When he went off Mikel Merino moved up front, as he did in the last campaign when Arsenal’s lack of a No 9 was exposed. Yes, it was only a friendly and there is a week-and-a-half before they kick-off their Premier League campaign away to Manchester United, but Arsenal appear to be facing a similar problem to Manchester City when they signed Erling Haaland. Having functioned so long without an orthodox centre-forward, how do they integrate such an orthodox one into the way they play? Haaland may have had fewer touches than when he played for Borussia Dortmund but, undeniably, Pep Guardiola and City found a way. Can Arteta do the same with Gyokeres? To be blunt, the big difference – the big issue – is whether Arsenal can produce enough opportunities for a “goal-pig” like Gyokeres to thrive. There is obvious mitigation. As Arteta later pointed out, the Sweden international is far from fully fit and has “not trained that much” as his protracted move rumbled on. “It was important for him to start a match,” Arteta said, before adding that come the first league game, “mentally and understanding what we will do, he will be 100 per cent or more”. But there is serious work to do beyond the 27-year-old’s fitness with much adaptation needed from his new team-mates. There were two obvious examples of this. In the first half, Gyokeres peeled away to sprint down the left, as he so often did for Sporting Lisbon, only for Myles Lewis-skelly to check and play the ball inside. Similarly in the second half, the striker made a straighter run which begged for a pass to be slid through to him. Instead, Gabriel Martinelli delayed and, although he was fouled, the opportunity was gone. Arsenal – and by extension Arteta – looked a bit unsure as to how to get the best out of Gyokeres, although the conclusion that they need to play the ball quicker was inevitable. Indeed, Gyokeres was at his most effective in a burst towards the end of the first period when he and Martinelli swapped positions and he was out on the left wing, cutting inside. A shot was blocked; a cross after a dangerous run was deflected away. And so Arsenal deservedly lost this encounter, in which Noni Madueke made his first appearance since moving from Chelsea. Arteta’s side conceded three sloppy goals which will have frustrated the Spaniard – including one from their former expensive misfit of a winger, Nicolas Pepe. For Arsenal there was a goal from another new signing, Christian Norgaard, with a header from a corner. But if the midfielder’s role is defined, that of Gyokeres remains a work in progress.
Daily Telegraph, 7 August 2025
That tactical issue surfaced across several outlets, including Sport Bible and The Standard, which handed Gyökeres a 6 out of 10 rating and remarked on his isolation. Multiple commentators pointed to occasions when teammates failed to release the ball during his runs in behind.
Some placed the blame on Arteta’s structure for limiting central service, but the midfield that played behind him will not be the one that starts at Old Trafford.
While fans had hoped for a debut goal, the prevailing media consensus was more measured. This was Gyökeres in early August, not mid-season rhythm. His strength, movement, and presence were apparent, even if they were not yet matched by end product as he finds his place.
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 06: Viktor Gyoekeres of Arsenal misses a chance under pressure from Luiz Junior of Villarreal CF during the pre-season friendly match between Arsenal and Villarreal at Emirates Stadium on August 06, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Mikel Arteta, speaking after the 3-2 defeat, said, “He hasn’t trained with a team for two months, so he’s done now six or five sessions I think before today, so I think on Saturday again he will take another step and he will be in a better condition.” He added that Gyökeres “will be 100% ready” for the Premier League opener against Manchester United.
The expectation now is that Gyökeres will grow into his role quickly as his fitness improves and teammates learn to read his movements.
The finishing issues Arsenal have faced in recent seasons are well-documented. Gyökeres, signed as the solution, remains under scrutiny at a level he wouldn’t face at most other clubs, with many in the media keen to brand him a flop before he’s even had a chance to get going.
Hopefully, he won’t give them the chance.
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