The Winged Meaning of Arteta's Hug to Viktor Gyokeres

As a key player, the primary duty of a forward is to score goals. With that theory in mind, Arsenal's forward Viktor Gyokeres should be in serious trouble. He has not scored for over 400 minutes. Interestingly, Arsenal appears to be doing just fine and comfortable in their best performance trend. What is actually happening?

Gyokeres has gone six matches without contributing a goal. His last goal was scored against Nottingham Forest in September. Despite the lack of goal contributions from the star striker, Arsenal remains unbeaten in those six matches (5 wins, 1 draw). They also managed to top the English Premier League standings before the international break.

The new coach of West Ham United, Nuno Espirito Santo, may have the best understanding of Arsenal's changes. Aside from the fact that his team was recently defeated 0-2, Nuno had previously highlighted Arsenal's attacking line last season. He stated that while he was still coaching Forest, there was no need for an extra center-back to face the team managed by Mikel Arteta.

I went straight there (on the pitch), hugged him, and thanked him for his incredible hard work for the team.

In this context, the question pertains to Nuno's tactics. He did not employ a three-center-back formation when facing Arsenal. This formation has always been relied upon against major teams. According to Nuno, Arsenal does not have a pure striker that requires extra attention in the penalty area. The match ended in a goalless draw.

About eight months later, Nuno had a vastly different experience at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday (4/10/2025). His team was defeated as they failed to anticipate Arsenal's attacking line, particularly Gyokeres, who successfully drew the attention of West Ham's defenders in the penalty area. The presence of the striker opened up many spaces for other players.

It was no surprise that Arteta praised Gyokeres after the match. "I went straight out there (on the pitch), hugged him, and thanked him because his work for the team was incredible. The way he stretched the backline and created space. I don't understand how he hasn't scored (with all that effort)," Arteta said, as quoted by Football London.

Gyokeres always moves off the ball behind the opposing defenders, towards the goal. With his tall and sturdy physique, this movement consistently attracts the attention of more than one opponent. In Arsenal's opening goal against West Ham, for instance, four opposing defenders were drawn in by his movement in the penalty area.

The Arsenal player positioned behind Gyokeres benefited the most. The fortunate individual in that moment was midfielder Declan Rice. When a scramble occurred in the opponent's penalty area, Rice simply had to slot the ball in without significant marking. Almost all of the opposing defenders had lost their positions due to the gravity of Gyokeres.

Opportunities from such a situation were generated by Arsenal repeatedly in West Ham's defense. "We are very grateful for what he does. How he controls the ball, runs, and creates threats. He is a big part of the reason we win many matches. We believe in him," said Arsenal star Bukayo Saka.

West Ham is indeed the team with the worst defense in the league so far. They may also not have fully adapted to the new system under Nuno, who has only been in charge for two matches. Nevertheless, this does not diminish the assessment of Gyokeres. He consistently performs well every week.

A week before the match against West Ham, there was further evidence. Arsenal visited the home ground of Newcastle United, which is recognized as one of the teams with the strongest defense this season. Gyokeres repeatedly caught the attention of the opposing defenders. Midfielder Eberechi Eze was momentarily advantaged by receiving a significant opportunity in the penalty area.

Such significant opportunities were not frequently generated by Arsenal in the previous season. This is because they typically played without a pure striker. Forwards like Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus more often contributed to the attack from outside the penalty area, akin to the role of a "false 9." The presence of Gyokeres brings a new dimension.

Legendary English striker Gary Lineker also acknowledged Gyokeres' crucial role. "He brings something different. He's a threat in behind (opposition players), which creates more space for midfielders and wingers. The goals will come," he said on The Rest Is Football podcast.

It is not a coincidence that Arsenal was able to secure six points from West Ham (home) and Newcastle (away). In the same matches last season, they suffered two defeats and did not score a single goal. Together with Gyokeres, Arsenal is significantly better at facing mediocre teams that adopt a pragmatic approach with a mid or low block defense.

Beyond technical aspects, the main distinction of Gyokeres lies in his determination and magnanimity. The striker of the Swedish national team possesses the spirit of a true fighter. He never complains or protests excessively when brought down by opponents. He always rises and immediately begins to fight again.

When not provided with passes by his teammates, Gyokeres never displayed any frustration. He immediately returned to his original position and continued to seek space in the opponent's defense. The former Sporting CP striker resembled a robot, tirelessly working without involving emotions.

The climax was in Arsenal's last match. As the first penalty taker for "The Gunners," Gyokeres actually had the opportunity to end his goal drought. However, he relinquished the penalty gift to Saka, who was celebrating his 200th appearance in the league. Gyokeres was also happy when Saka scored the ball into the West Ham net.

In the end, Arteta's embrace of Gyokeres was not merely a gesture of gratitude. The manager implied that Gyokeres' position would remain secure. The recipient of the Gerd Muller trophy in 2025 just needs to be patient and maintain his confidence. After all, the goal factor is very important in influencing the psychology of a striker. (AP/REUTERS)