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Viktor Gyokeres' Sweden form reveals Arsenal's problem they can't (and shouldn't) fix

It's not as easy as following's Sweden's blueprint.
ByKian Long
Viktor Gyokeres, Sweden
Viktor Gyokeres, Sweden | NurPhoto/GettyImages

Viktor Gyokeres (for Sweden) is in the form of his life. He just can't stop scoring, and the crowd can't stop chanting his name.

Viktor Gyokeres (for Arsenal) is in awful form. He just can't start scoring, and the crowd can't stop sighing whenever he gives up possession.

It's a weird juxtaposition. You would get a completely different response when you ask the Gyokeres question to Sweden fans vs Arsenal fans. So why is it, then, that Gyokeres just scored in seven consecutive Nations League matches, the first player ever to do it?

Viktor Gyokeres' last five games for Sweden

Minutes

Goals

Assists

435

4

0

Viktor Gyokeres' last five games for Arsenal

Minutes

Goals

Assists

207

0

0


Sweden gives Viktor Gyokeres what Arsenal cannot

Well, the problem is that Sweden gives Gyokeres exactly what he needs to thrive, but Arsenal do not.

Sweden centres their play around Gyokeres. He is the target man, the outlet, the anchor, and every attacking move is set up to get the best out of him. When you watch Sweden, you'll notice Gyokeres can peel off into space, and when he does, he is found instantly.

Arsenal, unfortunately, cannot offer Gyokeres the same luxury. It is not as simple as adapting their play to suit Gyokeres - If it were that fruitful, Arsenal would have done it a long time ago.

With no disrespect to Sweden, Arsenal are operating at a much higher capacity than the national team. They have a handful of world-class players to play to their strengths before they can consider Gyokeres.

Nevertheless, Gyokeres' form for Sweden is a net positive for Arsenal. Nobody expects him to carry his goal-scoring rate into the Premier League, but his confidence should allow the floodgates to open at least.

Arsenal face Leeds after the international break, which is another opportunity for Gyokeres to prove himself. He went into the break rock-bottom with confidence, but he's coming out of it sky-high.

The burden of the solution to the Gyokeres conundrum does not fall on Arsenal; it falls on Gyokeres. It is too risky for the Gunners to change a formula that clearly suits them to instead suit an individual player. That said, all hope is not lost - if Gyokeres is able to prove to Mikel Arteta that he's worth it, then he'll leave Arteta with no choice but to ponder his own tactics.

We'd love to be proven wrong about Gyokeres - of course we would. If his international form is anything to go by, then there's no reason why he can't prove every Arsenal fan wrong coming out of this break.

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