🔗 Share this article

Should Viktor Gyökeres transforms into the forward that all Arsenal supporters have been praying for, then maybe they will recall this night as the point his fortune turned around. According to the classic forward’s saying, it makes no difference how they find the net.

On the back of nine matches for club and country without a goal and expectations rising on the man signed for £64m in the close season, a huge wave of relief swept over the Emirates Stadium when Gyökeres guided in from point-blank via a deflection off David Hancko during a pulsating second half when Mikel Arteta’s side showed again that they are here to compete this season.

Stunning Reversal in Form

Shortly after and to the joy of the home faithful, his mask celebration borrowed from the character Bane in Batman, whose famous line is “attention came only with the disguise,” was repeated once more after forcing home from Gabriel Magalhães’s header following a Declan Rice corner to seal the victory against Atlético Madrid. Down on the touchline, Arteta celebrated wildly and gestured animatedly in the direction of his star striker, of whom he has spent the last fortnight insisting the best was yet to come.

“That’s the game, and we must not assume a player to move leagues and have him perform identically right away,” the Arsenal manager said in an interview with the Spanish newspaper Marca ahead of the fixture. “Things are very different. Each athlete anywhere need one thing: their mental condition to be at its optimum. I advised Viktor in our introductory chat that the No 9 I wanted for Arsenal was someone who could remain strong psychologically when they faced a goal drought without scoring. If not, you’re not cut out at this level. That’s why I have a strong confidence in him.”

Early Challenges

When he was just 14 playing for IFK Aspudden-Tellus, who are located in Stockholm’s southside districts, that Gyökeres first understood he would have to develop a thick skin to make it in his chosen profession. Criticised after a disappointing display by a coach who said he lacked the mindset to succeed in elite soccer, he ended up being converted from a winger into a striker after joining Brommapojkarna two years later. “Those words lingered and I recall it now,” he said in a recent interview.

Challenging Spell

Goal-shy since the triumph over Nottingham Forest in London back on 13 September, this has been one of the hardest times of his career. Gyökeres was widely panned after Sweden were defeated by Kosovo and Switzerland in World Cup qualifiers in the past fortnight, with one newspaper labeling his display against the latter as “absent.”

He recorded an incredible 54 goals in 52 appearances in all tournaments for Sporting last season, so the issue is evidently not his finishing. As Arteta has frequently pointed out, his overall contribution has given Arsenal an extra dimension in offense, even if the chances have not fallen his way.

Game Analysis

This was clearly apparent during the opening period of this top-level clash between two teams that had originally looked closely contested. There was a feeling that Gyökeres was overexerting himself to stand out as he bustled about like a bull in a china shop during the early stages. An Eberechi Eze shot that bounced on to the bar inside the initial stages was set up by some clever dribbling on the edge of the Atlético area that skillfully evaded from his marker, José María Giménez.

Giménez has the aura of a man who could create tension effortlessly but is deeply knowledgeable at this standard compared with Gyökeres, who is competing in merely his second Champions League campaign after bagging a triple for Sporting against Manchester City last season that probably significantly contributed to persuading Arteta to make the move.

Unyielding Drive

Yet having drawn comments that he was overweight after missing most of pre-season in Portugal, Arsenal’s considerably trimmer striker chased down every ball as if his career hung in the balance. Giménez was fooled into conceding a caution when Gyökeres ran into him on the edge of the Atlético area having only been stationary. Gabriel Martinelli saw his effort disallowed for offside after finishing Bukayo Saka’s cross and it wasn’t until after the break that the Swede had his initial opportunity.

A exquisite touch from Martinelli provided a golden opportunity, only for Jan Oblak to swiftly block an weak effort towards goal. At that stage it must have seemed as if the first score would not arrive. But the dam burst when Gabriel scored with a header Rice’s free-kick and Gyökeres was perfectly positioned to benefit as the masked striker announced his presence. “Hopefully this is the start of some beautiful sequences,” said a delighted Arteta.