Viktor Gyokeres: Page 42 - The Arsenal discussion forum and community: One More in the Tolly

Viktor Gyokeres

USArsenal

we need him in big games to keep pressure on the other team and to make sure the others also have space to breathe... But its the Fulhams, the Villas, the Everton's (and those teams that we inexplicably drop points to) that we really need him to bang those goals in and put those games away for us. I don't care if its the first goal or a second or third to put the game out of reach. We dropped more points from winning positions last year than any other team, and that was our downfall. Him scoring the second or third goal in a game makes that less likely to happen. If we won half of our games last season that we were leading, we would have been neck and neck with Pool.

Don Pacifico

USArsenal But its the Fulhams, the Villas, the Everton's (and those teams that we inexplicably drop points to)

...or Leeds in the first half yesterday? I think that's the exact kind of scenario where we need a striker who will force a goal.

USArsenal

Don Pacifico

or twice v Leeds yesterday to really put the game away.

I guess since he's scored for us now, you have to be concerned about 'when' he scores, not just that the team scored (and then he went on to score 2).

Don Pacifico

USArsenal the point I'm making is that the game was tight in the first half and we found it difficult to break through. Gyokeres scored his first goal after Leeds started playing a much higher line to chase the game. I'd like him to score goals when teams are parking the bus. We need someone who can take those half chances we had in the first half because set pieces won't always work when we're trying to break the deadlock.

USArsenal

Don Pacifico

Last time I checked, we DID break the deadlock (we do have other players that can score, clearly).. I guess you and i see it different. IDGAF when he scores, as long as he keeps scoring.

New team, new system, new league, only his second game, not up to full fitness... And he still bagged 2.

So far, so good IMO.

RocktheCasbah

Don Pacifico I do get what you're saying, but it does seem a little harsh to be implicitly criticising him for not scoring game breaking goals after 150 minutes in the first team.. The team and players clearly have to get used to him, as (I can't believe I'm about to say this, but) Alan Shearer's analysis on Match of the Day showed. He can't score if he's not getting service.

Don Pacifico

USArsenal right, but in all the games you alluded to, we didn't last season. If you bring in a CF whose biggest attribute (being simplistic) is scoring goals, then yes I think it matters.

As you and @RocktheCasbah say, it's early days so he's still coming up to match sharpness and the team is still finding its feet adapting to a new way of playing. I'm just reacting to yesterday's performance.

Klaus

He could have scored the easiest goal of all time to break the deadlock yesterday if he hadn't rushed. Leeds looked wide open all game. I think that was just a result of us pressing with intent, which is the way you usually break down these type of opponents. If any teams are gonna play low blocks against you it's the bottom half of the table trash, but they are where they are precisely because they can't handle pressure. Just attack them quicker and they'll fall apart.

Burnwinter

I don't fully grasp the anxiety, I'll admit. Gyökeres was in good if awkward position for the defensive error he scuffed away in haste when it was served up to him before half time. Then he created and scored a fine solo goal in open play. Then smashed away a penalty.

I tend to think legitimate concerns should've been allayed by what we saw.

Compare it to what Havertz was like when he got here. The confidence and adaptation we're seeing from Gyökeres is sky high. Stylistically he's what we wanted: he is making blatant lead runs into channels and demanding pursuit, drawing defenders along because if he's not put under heavy pressure, he'll score.

I'm not saying Gyökeres is the answer to every question, but that Leeds performance easily met my expectations.

Qwiss

I think he probably scores that first chance if he's not waiting for his first goal. He should be a bit calmer from now on after yesterday. So far he's a goal a game striker for us 😁.

Klaus

Qwiss Yeah the only thing I was cautious about was the first goal. I've seen enough of him over the last two years to know that once he's fit he'll score truckloads against any kind of opposition, but strikers live and die by their confidence and it will get chipped away if you don't score.

Theo Walcott was on TV yesterday talking about how it took a while for Giroud to score his first goal for Arsenal, and he used to beat himself up for it in training, it got to him really badly. Bergkamp said the same thing in some interview, he didn't get off the mark until his 8th game and it took a toll on him mentally.

Mirth

Klaus and Giroud/Bergkamp came through 10 and 30 years ago. These days if you don’t score on your first game away at Old Trafford then you can expect headlines to be written about you. And going by Gyokeres’ celebration you can see he was aware about it.

Klaus

Mirth Yeah, it's probably another reason why it's a good thing to have someone like Gyökeres who's used to pressure and not a kid too. United broke Højlund so badly last season. What happens if Sesko still hasn't gotten off the mark in his first 5 games while Gyökeres and Ekitike both have run up a tab?

est

It took Henry 8 games to score his first goal for us. It's normal for even great players to take some time to gel and find the rhythm in a new team.

Doc

He'll score goals, that's pretty much guaranteed

lorddulaarsenal

Lovely to see him in an Arsenal shirt

Burnwinter

Glad to hear dad's no longer giving tragic sound bites to the press or chewing the furniture. Chill out dad.

yuppa

that’s a generational hair legacy.

Got contradictory feelings - I celebrated his first goal because it felt important that he scored and made it happen himself from almost nothing. On the other hand the rush to judgement on all players in this day and age has us projecting our insecurities onto them in under 120min of play. then he reacts to the social media banter and it’s clear we’re all swimming in social media slop together.

anyway, big boy who bangs them in is something we haven’t had enough of over the years. fingers crossed.

banduan

ffs does his dad lift as well

Gazza M

these options stats are crazy. some highlights against leeds

covered more distance than rice and zubimendi
did more sprints than anyone in the team
made almost 3 times as many off the ball runs as anyone

the goals have to come if he keeps putting in this effort and we keep feeding him

Burnwinter

Gazza M Told you ... it's that crazy sprint repeatability.

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