Arteta Backs Gyokeres to Explode After Sluggish Opening Despite Early Struggles
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has backed Viktor Gyökeres to flourish in the campaign's latter stages, citing fitness challenges and heightened expectations as factors behind his modest scoring record so far.
The North London club secured a deal potentially worth £63.5 million ($85 million) to bring Gyökeres from Sporting CP last summer, after witnessing his remarkable tally of 97 goals across 102 matches for the Lisbon outfit.
Gyökeres has yet to replicate those extraordinary numbers at the Emirates. His six goals from 19 outings represents a decent return but doesn't capture the complete picture, with the Swedish striker finding the net in only four fixtures and registering all his top-flight strikes against teams currently occupying the league's bottom five positions.
Despite this, Arteta remains steadfast in his belief in Gyökeres, with the Spanish tactician suggesting the forward is still reaching optimal fitness following a summer disrupted by a self-imposed training boycott to force through his move.
"The spotlight on him has remained constant from his arrival until now," Arteta told the media on Friday. "That's expected. Everyone was thrilled about bringing him to the club.
"We accomplished that. We acquired a player with an exceptional goal-scoring pedigree who needed to adjust to this division. He lacked proper pre-season preparation. The initial weeks proved challenging as he wasn't physically at his peak, and he's someone who requires that foundation, like virtually every player in this competition, to excel at the highest level. Eventually he improved. I believe he enjoyed a strong spell before picking up an injury.
"Now he's returned. I noticed many encouraging signs in his last two performances. I understand we must continue fine-tuning and learning more about him in specific scenarios, and he must do likewise. That requires patience. He has our complete backing."
'Dedicated' Gyökeres Facing Heavy Pressure
Though fitness concerns have posed significant obstacles for Gyökeres, Arteta suggested the 27-year-old might still be adjusting to the amplified attention surrounding his summer arrival.
Gyökeres not only became the expensive new striker for an Arsenal squad targeting Premier League and Champions League glory, but also faced the daunting task of matching the extraordinary statistics he produced at Sporting.
"You must go through it firsthand," Arteta explained. "You can envision the worldwide attention you'll need to handle when joining a major club, given such expectations.
"However, you then have to experience it. Living through it always differs slightly from what you anticipated. But he's approaching it with tremendous determination. His energy levels and dedication are absolutely exemplary. We're here to support him because we've all experienced this. Everyone needs time.
"There are always phases, and strikers go through cycles. They net more goals, then fewer goals. We must stand by him."
Arteta concluded with an optimistic forecast that Gyökeres will elevate to "another level" in the season's second half.
"I believe so, absolutely," he declared.