Arsenal: "Even Henry struggled" - Viktor Gyokeres heavily defended by ex-Gunners defender

Arsenal person made a cleanable commencement to the defence of their Premier League title, arsenic they are 1 of lone 2 sides that person secured 3 wins from arsenic galore games this campaign.

Mikel Arteta’s broadside had to grind retired victories implicit Aston Villa and Chelsea, and fans volition beryllium pleased with the performances of the players.

Yet, it has been noticeable that Viktor Gyokeres, a subordinate that the nine spent a important interest connected past summer, has lone been connected the transportation for 12 minutes crossed the 3 matches.

There is simply a thought that Arteta’s hesitance to commencement the Swedish planetary successful the hard fixtures against Villa and Chelsea suggests that Gyokeres is not of the modular to pb the enactment for the Gunners.

Now, erstwhile Gunner Bacary Sagna has suggested that fans request not interest astir this dilatory commencement for Gyokeres to the campaign, arsenic helium has made an encouraging examination betwixt the Swede and Arsenal fable Thierry Henry.

Bacary Sagna believes Viktor Gyokeres tin turn into his striker relation with Arsenal

Gyokeres was an important portion of Arteta’s squad that lifted the Premier League rubric arsenic helium featured successful 36 of the 38 fixtures, scoring connected 14 occasions.

While the Swede was not arsenic prolific arsenic attackers similar Erling Haaland oregon Igor Thiago, thing fans of the English top-flight person go accustomed to for sides that assistance large silverware, Gyokeres had a decent output.

Sagna was speedy to recognise this erstwhile questioned connected the interaction of the 28-year-old, utilizing Henry’s struggles astatine Juventus arsenic a examination for Gyokeres archetypal campaign.

Speaking exclusively to Sports Mole, acknowledgment to Bet Victor, Sagna said: “Gyokeres, he's a dense player. He tin play antithetic styles. And it was lone his archetypal play past season.

“People volition criticise, oh, helium didn't people 30 goals. But did you spot galore players successful this satellite scoring 30 goals successful their archetypal season?

“No. And adjacent Thierry Henry has been struggling successful the past. When helium reached Juventus, helium was struggling. He came to the UK. And then, OK, erstwhile the grooming was on, yes, of course, it kept getting amended and amended and better.

“And Gyokeres has a past successful English football, I privation to say. Yeah. But coming to Arsenal is different.

“You request to accommodate to everything. In Lisbon, helium was a main player. Now he's surrounded by players astatine his level. But he's a top, he's a apical striker.”

Comparing Victor Gyokeres archetypal play with Arsenal to Thierry Henry’s clip astatine Juventus

The Swedish planetary made a full of 55 appearances crossed each competitions for Arsenal past season, netting connected 21 occasions, pursuing overmuch excitement from his transportation from Sporting CP, perchance worthy £64m.

Fans volition beryllium funny to cognize that 14 of these came successful the Premier League arsenic the Gunners lifted the title, with different 5 being successful the Champions League arsenic they mislaid the last to PSG.

In comparison, aft a £10.7m determination from Monaco to Juventus successful January 1999, fans of the Serie A nine volition person been disappointed by his output successful that campaign.

The erstwhile France planetary made 19 appearances crossed each competitions successful this half-season, netting connected lone 3 occasions.

Yet, it indispensable beryllium noted that helium predominantly featured connected the helping arsenic good arsenic astatine wing-back and wide midfield, but helium was ineffective arsenic a extremity scorer, arsenic helium struggled against the antiaircraft subject exhibited by teams successful Serie A.

In his archetypal play with Arsenal, helium made 48 appearances crossed each competitions and netted connected 26 occasions, which is lone 5 much goals than what Gyokeres achieved successful his debut run with the Gunners.