Is Arsenal's attack finally clicking with Gyökeres fully involved?
A goal and an assist against Slavia Prague has reignited the debate over how Mikel Arteta should be using Viktor Gyökeres, with suggestions that Arsenal's system may not always suit the striker's natural strengths.
Gyökeres arrived in north London with a huge goalscoring reputation built at Sporting CP, but his adaptation to Arsenal's style has not been entirely smooth. His display in the 2-1 win over Slavia Prague, in which he scored and set up Noni Madueke's opening goal, offered what JustArsenal describes as an encouraging reminder of what he can bring to the side.
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More than just a goalscorer
The piece argues that reducing Gyökeres' value to pure statistics overlooks qualities that go beyond the scoresheet. His physical presence allows him to compete with defenders, hold up possession and bring teammates into play, while his strength and acceleration let him carry the ball forward and turn defensive situations into attacking opportunities.
Those attributes were visible against Slavia Prague, where his hold up play and release of a teammate directly led to Madueke's goal.
Does Arteta's system suit him?
Under Arteta, Arsenal have built a possession based style that leans on positional discipline and combination play around the box. The article raises the question of whether that approach always plays to Gyökeres' strengths, given his explosive running and physicality are most dangerous in transition, when he has space to attack rather than a crowded box to combine inside.
Notably, Arteta himself pointed to an improvement in how Gyökeres read the game against Slavia's man marking setup, highlighting his understanding of the spaces created by Slavia's man to man defensive approach, according to the report. Rather than simply waiting inside the box, he recognised when to drop, when to move and when to exploit the gaps.
Creating space for others
The article also points to the knock on effect Gyökeres' movement can have on Arsenal's wide players. By occupying central defenders and threatening the space in behind, he can create room for Bukayo Saka, Madueke and others to drift inside, while also giving Arsenal a more direct option when their usual passing combinations are being shut down.
Crucially, the piece stresses that his arrival should add another attacking dimension to Arsenal's play rather than force a complete overhaul of what already works.
A turning point, or just one good night?
The performance against Slavia Prague is described as an encouraging step rather than a conclusive answer. Consistency is framed as the real test, with Gyökeres needing to establish a regular presence in the side and show he can influence matches against a wider range of opponents.
There is also an onus on Arsenal to supply him with service suited to his game, since a striker cannot consistently produce without the right chances coming his way.
If Arsenal can strike the right balance between their established possession principles and giving Gyökeres room to attack space, his recent form against Slavia Prague could prove to be more than just an isolated bright spot.
