🔗 Share this article

If Viktor Gyökeres transforms into the attacker that each Arsenal supporters have been praying for, then maybe they will reflect on this night as the point his fortune changed. As the old striker’s mantra goes, it isn’t important how they go in.

On the back of nine matches for his team and national side without a goal and scrutiny increasing on the man brought in for a substantial sum in the summer, a tremendous feeling of ease engulfed 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 proved yet again that they mean business this season.

Remarkable Shift in Form

Within moments and to the joy of the home faithful, his mask celebration inspired by the villain Bane in Batman, whose catchphrase is “I was ignored before the mask,” was given another airing 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 motioned emphatically in the direction of his new centre forward, of whom he has spent the past two weeks insisting the best was yet to come.

“Such is soccer, and we shouldn’t anticipate a player to change contexts and have him do the same thing instantly,” the Arsenal manager stated in a discussion with the Spanish newspaper Marca prior to the match. “Situations are not the same. All players in the world need one thing: their mental condition to be at its peak. I informed Viktor in our introductory chat that the No 9 I sought for Arsenal was someone who could hold up mentally when they experienced a dry spell without scoring. If not, you’re not cut out at this standard. That’s why I have a great belief in him.”

Youthful Struggles

When he was just 14 playing for IFK Aspudden-Tellus, who are located in Stockholm’s southern suburbs, that Gyökeres first realised he would have to toughen up to succeed in his selected career. Criticised after a disappointing display by a coach who said he was not mentally equipped to make it in professional play, he ended up being converted from a wide player into a striker after signing for Brommapojkarna two years later. “That one stuck with me and I still remember it today,” he said recently.

Difficult Phase

Without a goal since the win over Nottingham Forest at home back on 13 September, this has been one of the toughest stretches of his professional life. Gyökeres was widely panned after Sweden were defeated by Kosovo and Switzerland in World Cup qualifiers in the previous 14 days, with one newspaper describing his performance against the latter as “absent.”

He recorded an incredible 54 goals in 52 appearances across all competitions for Sporting last season, so the difficulty is clearly not his goal conversion. As the manager has often noted, his complete game has added a new layer in the final third, even if the openings have not come to him.

Match Highlights

This was plainly visible during the first half of this top-level clash between two teams that had initially seemed well-balanced. There was a impression that Gyökeres was pressing too much to impress as he bustled about like a disruptive presence during the beginning phase. An Eberechi Eze shot that glanced on to the bar inside the initial stages was set up by some clever dribbling on the edge of the Atlético area that niftily took him away from his marker, José María Giménez.

The Uruguayan has the air of a man who could create tension effortlessly but is deeply knowledgeable at this level compared with Gyökeres, who is competing in merely his second Champions League campaign after netting three goals for Sporting against Manchester City last season that probably significantly contributed to persuading Arteta to make the move.

Relentless Effort

However having drawn comments that he was carrying a few too many pounds after sitting out the buildup in Portugal, Arsenal’s much more svelte-looking striker pursued each opportunity as if his life depended on it. Giménez was drawn into conceding a yellow card when Gyökeres collided with him on the edge of the Atlético area having merely stood his ground. Gabriel Martinelli saw his goal ruled out 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 set Gyökeres up perfectly, only for Jan Oblak to quickly smother an hesitant shot towards goal. At that stage it must have seemed as if the opening goal would not arrive. But the floodgates opened when Gabriel headed home Rice’s free-kick and Gyökeres was perfectly positioned to benefit as the masked striker made his mark. “Ideally this is the start of some beautiful sequences,” said a delighted Arteta.