Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak have not yet set the world alight at their new clubs
Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak have had mixed starts to their Arsenal and Liverpool careers(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images)
A lot has been made of Viktor Gyokeres’ start to his Arsenal career. After making the £63.5million move from Sporting CP in the summer, the clinical striker made an immediate impact in north London as he scored three goals in his opening four Premier League games.
Goals have dried up of late, however, and the 27-year-old has now gone eight games for club and country without a goal. Mikel Arteta is certainly not worried, though, and has been impressed with the Sweden international’s performances.
“I loved it. I absolutely loved how he took it. He went on board, not a single moment when he’s showing frustration,” Arteta said after the Gunners’ 2-1 victory over Newcastle. “I told him, you’re going to get some decisions, some others not, stand up. You’re going to have two or three players around you in many moments, the ball is in the air and a lot is going to happen.
“But I loved his reaction, I loved the way he handled the situation emotionally, and as well because he was involved in a lot of dangerous moments that he created.”
The Swedish striker has shown the physical presence, pressing intensity and link-up play that fit perfectly into Arteta’s system. Interestingly, BOYLE Sports stats show Gyokeres is still performing well and even outperforming Liverpool’s new £130million man Alexander Isak.
In 578 minutes of action in the Premier League this season, Gyokeres has three goals, zero assists, five shots on target, five chances created and five successful dribbles. The striker has also made 33 accurate passes in the opposition half.
While Isak has played less minutes than his countryman, the statistics show he is being outperformed by Gyokeres at the moment. In 181 minutes of league action, the former Newcastle man has zero goals, one assist, zero shots on target, zero chances created and zero successful dribbles. He has completed 16 accurate passes in the opposition half, which is less than half of what Gyokeres has managed.
Of course, Arteta knows Gyokeres must improve his output, as ultimately the striker was brought to the club to score goals. But performances have improved and the north Londoners have a kind run of fixtures to come, with the hope being that the former Coventry man can find his goalscoring form and really kick off his Gunners career.
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