Alan Shearer gives his true feelings on Gyokeres at Arsenal | OneFootball

Alan Shearer believes Viktor Gyokeres has improved Arsenal despite not scoring many goals so far, and he expects the striker’s goalscoring numbers to pick up.

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Assessing Viktor Gyokeres’ start at Arsenal is a somewhat complex task at the moment.

In terms of pure numbers, it hasn’t been an ideal beginning, with Gyokeres scoring three goals and assisting one in 11 appearances. Yet Arsenal have won nine, drawn one, and lost just one of those 11 games, with the Swedish striker starting 10 of them.

It’s hard to believe that a striker offering nothing at all could be a key starter in a team winning nine of 11 games and sitting top of the Premier League.

Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images

Speaking to Match of the Day, Alan Shearer had a theory about what Gyokeres is offering beyond his goalscoring.

“There’s no doubt that he will have to improve his goalscoring. As you said, he’s only got three,” Shearer said. “But one of his strengths which has suited Arsenal is he actually goes the other way, he goes in behind.

“I think when he does that, that then creates space for others to play. Last season you had maybe Havertz or Merino coming short, and that’s easier for teams to defend against.

“When you’re running the other way, they get deeper and deeper, that then opens the space up for others to play. So I think from that point of view he has improved Arsenal.

“I think he will get the goals, obviously nowhere near as many as he got last season, but he will get the goals with the number of chances that Arsenal create. He will, and his numbers should improve.”

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The numbers do need to improve. Arsenal are winning games, but often only by relatively fine margins. Even just a couple more goals from Gyokeres could have made a few recent matches more comfortable by securing results earlier and resting players for upcoming fixtures.

The only games Arsenal have really been completely comfortable in this season are the two Gyokeres scored in – the 5-0 win over Leeds United and the 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest.

More of that is needed in the coming weeks, with matches every weekend and midweek between now and the next international break.