Viktor Gyökeres Deserves Patience: Why the Arsenal Striker’s Contribution Goes Beyond Goals
Viktor Gyökeres may be going through a brief scoring drought, but the noise around him has quickly turned unfair. The Swedish forward has now gone close to a month without finding the net for Arsenal, and some critics have rushed to label him “wasteful” or “ineffective.” Yet this narrative fails to acknowledge the bigger picture of what Gyökeres brings to Mikel Arteta’s team.
Yes, strikers are often judged primarily on goals, but football is not as one-dimensional as that. Gyökeres’ role at Arsenal is not limited to simply putting the ball in the back of the net. He has consistently shown qualities that elevate the team’s overall performance, even if the numbers on the scoresheet don’t currently reflect it.
In Arsenal’s most recent game, for instance, he was anything but anonymous. Gyökeres was heavily involved in the opener: latching onto a clever through ball from Martin Ødegaard, using his strength to brush aside defenders, and unleashing a shot that rattled the post. Gabriel Martinelli’s quick reaction earned Arsenal the goal, but it was Gyökeres’ power, movement, and persistence that created the moment. That kind of involvement can’t be dismissed as insignificant.
Mikel Arteta himself was quick to defend his striker after the match, emphasizing that Gyökeres’ influence extends far beyond goalscoring. “What I sense is that he’s doing better and better things every game,” Arteta explained. “He was denied a few times today, hit the post, and forced a big block, but overall his performance was exceptional. His work rate was really good. Of course, we want him scoring, but even when he doesn’t, what he does for the team is huge.”
That assessment is difficult to argue with. Gyökeres has been tireless in pressing from the front, unsettling defenders, and creating space for Arsenal’s wide forwards and midfielders to thrive. His physicality gives Arsenal an outlet they have often lacked in past seasons—a striker who can hold up play, stretch the backline, and still carry a constant threat. These are traits that don’t always show up in statistics but are invaluable to the system Arteta has built.
Critics calling him “wasteful” forget that every striker faces dry spells. Even world-class forwards like Erling Haaland, Karim Benzema, or Robert Lewandowski have endured barren runs. The difference is that established reputations grant them more patience, whereas Gyökeres, being newer to the Premier League spotlight, has been scrutinized far more quickly.
The truth is, his finishing touch is likely just a matter of time. He is getting into the right positions, he is testing goalkeepers, and he is involved in nearly every meaningful attacking sequence. Once one goal goes in, confidence will follow, and the narrative around him will swing back in his favor.
Until then, Arsenal fans and pundits alike would do well to keep perspective. Gyökeres is not a passenger. He is a central part of why Arsenal’s attack looks dangerous, even when he isn’t scoring himself. To reduce his value to a handful of missed chances is to ignore the very things that make him an asset to this team.
Patience is needed—and when the goals return, the same voices criticizing him now will be the ones praising him again.
