Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has publicly backed striker Viktor Gyokeres, encouraging him to remain calm and confident despite a recent lack of goals. Arteta emphasized that handling pressure is an integral part of wearing the prestigious Arsenal number 9 shirt.
Gyokeres, who joined Arsenal from Sporting Lisbon, has experienced a challenging transition to English football. After an impressive spell where he scored 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting, the Swedish international has found goals harder to come by in the Premier League. He is currently on an eight-match run without a goal for both club and country, with his last goal dating back to a September fixture against Nottingham Forest. So far, the 26-year-old has only managed three goals in an Arsenal shirt, two of which came in the opening home game against Leeds United.
Arteta’s Public Support
Despite the barren spell, Arteta has publicly reaffirmed his belief in the striker’s overall contribution to the team. “I told him before the first meeting: ‘the nine that I want is a nine that when he doesn’t score for six or eight games, he can handle that. If not, you have to go somewhere else because the expectation is going to be there,'” Arteta stated.
He further elaborated on the qualities he values beyond goal-scoring: “If you put on a nine shirt for Arsenal, you have to be able to say, ‘OK, six games, if I don’t score, I’m a different player? I start to act differently.’ No, I want much more of the same of what he’s doing.”
The Bigger Picture and Team News
Arteta pointed out that every top striker goes through periods of poor form and praised Gyokeres’ overall influence on the team’s play. “He brings so much to the team. He creates space and solutions for a lot of the players around him. And with the talent that we have in the team, I’m sure that everybody, including him, will benefit from that,” the Spanish coach said.
This support comes at a crucial time as Arsenal prepares for a weekend fixture against Fulham. However, the Gunners will be without their captain, Martin Odegaard, for at least a month due to a knee injury sustained in the win over West Ham before the international break.
“There is no definite date for Martin’s return, but he’s evolving well and he will be back in a few weeks,” Arteta said. “He cannot afford to be in a different mindset. He’s the captain. He needs to drive the standard. He needs to be the example.”
Arsenal currently sit top of the Premier League table, and a win against Fulham could extend their lead to four points, depending on other results. When asked if his team can maintain their position until the end of the season, Arteta responded, “It is possible. We will if we continue to win a lot of football matches. I’m sure we will be there.”
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