Does Arsenal regret signing Gyokeres?

New signing Viktor Gyokeres has now appeared 19 times in England's top league. This number of games and the data collected allow us to make preliminary assessments of the Swedish striker's form since joining Arsenal for half a season.

Movement issues

Perhaps the most disappointing aspect of Gyokeres's performances over the past few months is his ability to find space inside the penalty area. A recurring image in Arsenal's matches is crosses from both wings cutting across the goal, yet Gyokeres is nowhere to be found. These are the kinds of passes that renowned strikers like Inzaghi, Ibrahimovic, Van Persie, Van Nistelrooy, Didier Drogba, and Henry would eagerly seize and rarely miss.

However, Gyokeres is not the type of striker who prefers to "camp out" in the 18-yard box. He likes to drop deeper to combine play, then pass, assist, or shoot – which is not wrong but does not fit Arsenal's overall style. Many times this season, Gyokeres has either been standing too deep when a cross was delivered or too close to opposing defenders, failing to make any impact. Arsenal has many excellent wingers, especially Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard, who are great at crossing, yet Gyokeres seems like a "stranger" despite working with them throughout the summer and the first months of the 2025/26 season.

In recent matches, there have been three clear examples of this lack of movement. First, against Aston Villa, when Declan Rice sent a low cross from the left wing, Gyokeres completely failed to anticipate the ball, missing the chance. A few weeks later, in the Brighton match, Gyokeres made no move towards the near or far post when Saka sprinted down the right flank. Instead, he almost stood still, closely marked by a Brighton defender. And in the recent Liverpool game, Gyokeres again reacted slowly when Rice delivered a precise ball.

Could this be a problem with Arsenal’s wing attack system rather than Gyokeres’s individual fault? Mikel Merino’s success playing as a striker during Gyokeres’s early absence suggests probably not. It should be added that Merino is a midfielder but has a good striker’s mindset. He has shown smart movement inside the box to score from crosses in matches against Slavia Prague, Chelsea, and Brentford. Such moments seem beyond Gyokeres’s reach at present.

Inconsistent ball control

Unfortunately for Gyokeres, his difficulties extend beyond off-the-ball movement. Even when in possession, he struggles against the strong and aggressive center-backs of the Premier League. In other words, defenders in this league are ready to fight hard rather than give ground easily. This is a hallmark of the league, very different from Portugal’s Primeira Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, La Liga, or Serie A.

This season, 33 forwards have played over 500 minutes in the Premier League. Among these 33 players, Gyokeres ranks last in ball loss rate, meaning he loses possession more frequently per touch than any other striker in the league. His ball loss rate is 42.7%. This is shocking considering the amount Arsenal paid to acquire him from Sporting Lisbon. It’s practically like "throwing money out the window."

Moreover, Gyokeres ranks very low in duel success rate, only 33.6% in the Premier League this season. Only three other strikers have a lower rate. Clearly, winning against Premier League defenders is never easy. This is vastly different from the Portuguese league, where Gyokeres scored 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting Lisbon. Last season, he succeeded in beating opponents 60 times in 132 dribbles (46%). In the Premier League, Gyokeres has only succeeded 5 times in 27 dribbles (19%).

Of course, some factors must be considered. First, Arsenal’s possession-based style often forces Gyokeres to face deep, compact defenses, leaving him less space than many other strikers. Second, Arsenal rarely plays long balls quickly to Gyokeres, which further limits his chances to find space and makes him easier to mark tightly.

And if you think that’s the worst, think again. In his first five Premier League starts, he scored two goals from open play and averaged 20 touches per game. In his last five starts, he has scored no goals from open play and averaged only 15 touches per match.

Should Arteta make changes?

Although Gyokeres faces much personal criticism, it can be argued that his teammates have not always supported him well. There have been several occasions this season when Gyokeres expected an early, bold pass from midfield but did not get it. Furthermore, Mikel Arteta says he remains satisfied with Gyokeres and believes he contributes significantly to the team’s overall play. While this is true, such responses seem somewhat perfunctory.

No one signs a striker and says, "He’s okay even if he scores few goals." The measure for a goalkeeper is not only saves but also how well he organizes the defense to protect himself. A striker is similar. Besides combining, assisting, and linking play, the primary role is to score goals. Gyokeres is currently performing at a low level. Still, Arteta needs to do more to help him because, so far, the coach has not built a system that maximizes Gyokeres’s strengths; instead, things appear to be going the other way. Gyokeres himself must also work harder because if he remains this ineffective in the second half of the season, it will be no surprise if Arsenal buys another striker next summer.