Rio Ferdinand has been very vocal amid a difficult start to life at Arsenal for Viktor Gyokeres.
The £64m arrival from Sporting CP has endured widespread criticism after completing just four passes on his Premier League debut for Arsenal, which still ended in a 1-0 win for the Gunners at Old Trafford.
Ferdinand actually defended Gyokeres after that match, saying: “I’ve seen some of the comments, people saying Gyokeres doesn’t look the part – early in the season, give him five or six games minimum, just to get up to speed.
“Give him time to get up to speed fitness-wise, he’s got to get fit! He probably hasn’t trained with a team since he got to Arsenal because he demanded to leave, bit like (Alexander) Isak.”
However, Rio Ferdinand has now appeared to mock Viktor Gyokeres after a 26-second video emerged of the Arsenal No.14 in training.
Rio Ferdinand seems to poke fun at Viktor Gyokeres
Arsenal held an open training session at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday afternoon, which AFTV attended and also managed to capture a video of the Swede scoring a goal.
However, it seems Gyokeres was up against a coach – who visibly puts little effort into defending the attack – so the situation is not one that is likely to be replicated up against Premier League opposition.
It led Ferdinand to quip: “(Is that) Pascal Cygan marking him?”
For those unaware, Cygan used to play for Arsenal from 2002 to 2006 – making 98 appearances for the Gunners.
Pascal Cygan for Arsenal
Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Whoever was marking Gyokeres in the footage looks similar to the Frenchman – now aged 51 – hence the critical response from Ferdinand.
Arsenal need to protect Viktor Gyokeres
After just 60 minutes of Premier League football, the reaction to the Sweden international’s debut has been nothing short of bizarre.
Even the Portuguese media have questioned Gyokeres and asked whether he can deliver in English football, which is harsh from a nation who watched him score 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting CP.
Fortunately, Ian Wright is looking out for Gyokeres, and Arsenal must do likewise.
The best thing Mikel Arteta can do for his new striker is to build the attack around him, as – like Darren Bent spotted – the system was not designed for him to thrive at Old Trafford on Sunday.