‘If not, you have to go somewhere else’ – Arteta backs Gyokeres after recent run of games without a goal | OneFootball

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says Viktor Gyokeres can handle the pressure of his recent run of games without a goal.

The Swedish striker has not scored in the last six games for the Gunners, but Arteta says he is delighted with what he is seeing from the striker and says he is capable of dealing with the pressure.

“He brings so much to the team and watching the games back, I’m very pleased with what he’s given to the team,” Arteta said.

“I told him in the first meeting, I said, 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 pressure is gone, the expectation is going to be there.

“So, if you put it on a nine shirt on 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 in a different way? I want much more of the same of what he’s doing. Once we have those opportunities, I’m sure it’s going to happen.”

Arteta was also keen to stress that it is not fair to expect Gyokeres to continue scoring at the rate he did for former club Sporting CP.

“Going back in his history as well with Viktor, it’s a very different one,” Arteta said. “The beginning, when he wasn’t even playing much, and then how he evolved his career. Then in the last year, it was very difficult to find a gap of that because I think he scored in every single match almost. But just preparing something.

“The context is going to change. It’s part of football. You see the history of the number 9s. You’re going to have moments like that. Hopefully, it’s through playing. Not that you don’t even have the option to play, and you are injured.

“So his robustness is something really good. I’m really happy with him. Full confidence and when you look at him every single day, how much he wants it. That’s exactly what you expect.”