
Arsenal fans are growing increasingly vocal about the need for Viktor Gyokeres to find the back of the net, following Mikel Arteta’s candid comments about the inevitable challenges the striker would face at the club. The Swedish forward has gone eight games without a goal for club and country, fueling chatter on social media and sparking a fresh meme fest among supporters.
Before Gyokeres even signed in the summer, Arteta had warned that his new striker would face tough moments, describing what he called the “Disneyland scenario”—periods when goals would dry up.
“I'm very pleased with what he's given to the team. I told him before the first meeting: the nine that I want is a nine that when he doesn't score for six or eight games, he can handle that. If not, you have to go somewhere else,” Arteta said.
“He looks at you and doesn’t move,” Arteta recalled about Gyokeres’ reaction. “He was on the screen like this and he just said: ‘It’s fine’. That’s him. There’s no emotion there, he just has a single-targeted mindset. That’s what I love about him.”
The Spaniard added: “I haven’t seen that for any player, except one or two in history. So get ready and deal with it with naturally, and obviously with all the support that he has from us.”
While goals have been elusive, Arteta is impressed by Gyokeres’ overall contribution to the team. His work off the ball, movement, and ability to create space have helped Arsenal thrive in attack, giving teammates room to shine.
“Viktor adds so many things, that probably are not noticeable,” Arteta said. “He creates environment and space and solutions to a lot of the players around him. And with the talent that we have in the team, I’m sure that everybody, him included, will benefit from that.”
Bukayo Saka has also praised the striker’s influence in the Gunners’ victory over West Ham, highlighting how Gyokeres’ presence opens opportunities for others.
Despite the praise for his off-the-ball work, fans are eager to see Gyokeres score. After all, the No14 shirt comes with the expectation of delivering decisive goals, not just creating them.
Arsenal face Fulham on Saturday, offering Gyokeres a chance to finally end his barren spell. The Swede has carried a heavy load in Kai Havertz’s absence, featuring in challenging fixtures against Liverpool, Manchester United, and Newcastle, and now enters a run of games against newly promoted sides Burnley and Sunderland before the next international break.
“I think he is in the right zone,” Arteta said. “He has been very unlucky. The more I watch of his action, the more I realise he has been very, very unlucky not to score another four or five goals, easily by now. They will come and at some time he will have the luck he did not have before.”
Arsenal fans have taken to social media following recent comments from Arteta, with several expressing frustration over Gyokeres' goal drought. While some highlight the striker’s lacklustre show so far, others use it to cheer him on, reminding Gyokeres that even legends go through barren spells before bouncing back.
For now, the message from both manager and supporters is clear: Gyokeres has the backing to shine—but it’s high time the goals start flowing.