Ten games, three goals - assessing Gyokeres' Arsenal start

Arsenal have made an impressive start to the season, winning eight of their opening 10 games, but it has not been quite as easy for new striker Viktor Gyokeres.

After three goals in his first four matches, the £64m signing has not scored for six matches, with manager Mikel Arteta saying he gave the Sweden forward a hug after Saturday's 2-0 win over West Ham for his efforts.

Gyokeres has played 90 minutes in six of Arsenal's opening 10 matches - more than Arteta planned for, with the knee injury to Kai Havertz restricting the ability the manager has to rotate the 27-year-old.

Havertz is one of Arteta's most trusted players and there is an argument to be had that the German would have started instead of Gyokeres in big away matches against Liverpool - the Gunners' only defeat of the season - Newcastle United and Manchester United, which they won.

There is also the fact Gyokeres did not have a full pre-season before joining, and missed team training at Sporting as he looked to force through a move to north London.

But Gyokeres is a win-now signing, who scored 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting in his two seasons at the Portuguese club.

His lack of goals are not a problem as Arsenal are winning at the moment, but he is a player who was brought in to get the team over the line as they try to win their first trophy since 2020.

Arteta has shown an appreciation for Gyokeres' effort in the opening matches and heaped praise on the striker for his work that can go under the radar whenever the opportunity has presented itself.

In the aftermath of Arsenal's win over Olympiacos, he called the forward's performance "exceptional" and praised his "work-rate".

When Arsenal signed Gyokeres, there was a feeling his presence would open up the space for the multiple attacking players Arsenal have behind him in Martin Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze and Gabriel Martinelli.

There have been flashes of those signs but Gyokeres will have wanted more from his first 10 games as Arsenal's focal point, having scored in just two - a double in the 5-0 win over Leeds in August, and one goal in a 3-0 victory against Nottingham Forest mid-September.

Arsenal have changed their style this season to get the ball between the lines more quickly and have adapted their tactics to be more direct.

This is in part to get the best out of Gyokeres, who does not look to drop into midfield and link play like Havertz, but whose strength is felt to be running between the two centre-backs and into the space behind them.

When watching Arsenal this season, it can be seen the midfielders are looking for the ball that may release the striker for a chance.

This is shown in the 23 chances Gyokeres has had, but he has only mustered seven shots on target with those opportunities in 10 games, with one being from the penalty spot.

The Gunners struggled to break down sides in a low block last season as they fell away in the title race, and their new style is designed to hurt the opposition while playing quickly.

Arsenal are also crossing the ball more regularly to create more chances.

One of Gyokeres' three goals this season came from the penalty spot but that was when Saka had already been substituted in the 5-0 win over Leeds.

Arteta said Gyokeres is the best penalty taker at the club in an interview with ESPN Brazil, but it was Saka who took the spot-kick in the win over West Ham when both were on the pitch, suggesting the England winger could be first choice to take them this season.

Saka, who made his 200th Premier League appearance for Arsenal in the victory on Saturday, has backed Gyokeres to succeed.

"I think Viktor's playing really, really well," Saka said after the match with West Ham.

"There's no doubt he's going to score goals. What he's bringing to this team, us as his team-mates, we're so grateful for what he does - how he holds the ball, how he makes the runs, the threat he gives us.

"He's a big part of the reason why we're winning these games. His goals will come. We know that, we believe that and we believe in him. I don't think there's any doubts. He's still up, he's still happy and he's still giving his best every game."

It is fair to say it has not been the easiest of starts for Gyokeres, but that does not mean there are not signs to show things will get better.

The striker started the campaign playing catch-up with his fitness after a disrupted pre-season.

Havertz's injury has meant he has been thrust into situations earlier than perhaps planned - it has also meant the relationships with midfielders behind him that have not quite clicked have been highlighted.

The striker is a willing runner and constantly looks for space, and also tries to be an option to hold up the ball when Arsenal look to play forward quickly.

Gyokeres is an imposing figure, but so are the majority of centre-backs in the Premier League - and he will have to adapt if he is going to get the better of them in physical battles.

Whenever questions are asked about Gyokeres, his mentality and stubbornness are brought up as two of his qualities.

That will help in the Premier League, especially with the expectation around his signing so high. This is a player whose shirt sales broke records at Arsenal when his deal was completed and his number announced.

There is a visible want from his team-mates for it to click for him, with Martinelli looking to let Gyokeres' shot go into the net against Olympiacos on Wednesday before it hit the post and the winger tapped it in.

Gyokeres' style of play is perhaps not easy on the eye like some of the silky forwards in the Premier League, but there are signs he can be effective.

With Arsenal's more direct style of play and a midfield designed to get the best out of him, he has all the tools at his disposal to succeed.

The question is, will he be able to use them?