Arsenal bagged a 1-0 Champions League win over Napoli, which on paper sounds fantastic, right? Another W in the books for the Gunners. But let me tell you, if you were watching that game, the scoreline hides a massive, troubling trend for their marquee striker, Viktor Gyokeres: he didn’t register a single shot. Zero. Zilch.
Where Was the Striker in All That Dominance?
This was supposed to be Gyokeres’ dream game. Arsenal owned the final third, putting up a ridiculous 287 touches compared to Napoli’s paltry 42. Martin Odegaard alone had 50% more possession in those dangerous areas than the entire Napoli squad. They weren’t just knocking on the door; they brought sledgehammers, and they were swinging them. The problem? They were swinging them in all sorts of wild directions. Mikel Merino, Piero Hincapie, and Bukayo Saka all missed chances, some in increasingly ludicrous fashion. Saka, in particular, had a 0.7 xG shot from close range with his left foot that he somehow managed to lift right over Alex Meret’s bar. You expect those guys to do better, no doubt. But at least they were in position to miss!
Gyokeres, the guy you signed to be your bagsman, ended the game with a dubious honor, sharing zero shots with only Ezri Konsa and David Raya. Think about that: a starting striker with fewer penalty box touches than full-backs Hincapie and Ben White. It’s just not what you want to see. Yeah, he teed up four shots for others, including one inviting chance for Christos Tzolis in the 70th minute after a smart interception, but that’s not his primary job description.
A Beat Behind the Tempo When It Counts Most
Now, I get it, center forwards bring more than just shots to the game. Off-ball movement, runs to create space, pinning center-backs in the penalty area, all that stuff is crucial. But you’d think some of those runs, especially when Odegaard is fizzing passes between the lines, would result in the ball actually coming his way. The stark reality from this match is that when those passes were flying, Gyokeres seemed a beat behind the tempo. Arsenal had all the setup you could ask for, camping out in the final third, weaving intricate patterns, just waiting for Odegaard to play that killer through ball. And when it came, their main man wasn’t there to connect, or wasn’t getting into the right spots. He was pulled in the 74th minute with the scores still level, which kinda says it all.
This isn’t about his hold-up play, his passing, or his pressing. That’s not what Mikel Arteta brought him in for. You want a guy who bags goals when the team is dominating the opposition, and Gyokeres just wasn’t that guy against Napoli. It leaves you wondering what’s next and if this troubling trend can be fixed.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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