Man in the Mask Gyökeres Silences Jibes to Leave an Impression at the Gunners
Should Viktor Gyökeres goes on to become the striker that each Arsenal followers have been hoping for, then maybe they will look back on this night as the moment his destiny changed. As the old striker’s mantra goes, it makes no difference how they hit the back of the net.
On the back of nine matches for club and country without a goal and pressure mounting on the man brought in for a substantial sum in the offseason, a tremendous feeling of ease washed over the Emirates Stadium when Gyökeres guided in from point-blank via a deflection off David Hancko during a electrifying second half when Mikel Arteta’s side showed again that they are here to compete this season.
Stunning Reversal in Luck
Within moments and to the excitement of the home faithful, his Bane-inspired gesture modeled after the character Bane in Batman, whose signature quote is “nobody cared until I put on the mask,” was repeated once more after bundling over from Gabriel Magalhães’s header following a Declan Rice corner to complete the rout against Atlético Madrid. On the sidelines, Arteta raised his fists and gestured animatedly in the direction of his new centre forward, of whom he has spent the previous 14 days insisting the finest displays lay ahead.
“Such is soccer, and we must not assume a player to change contexts and have him perform identically right away,” the Arsenal manager said in an interview with the Spanish newspaper Marca ahead of the fixture. “Things are very different. Each athlete anywhere need one thing: their psychological state to be at its peak. I advised Viktor in our first meeting that the center forward I desired at Arsenal was someone who could hold up mentally when they experienced a dry spell without scoring. Otherwise, you’re not suited at this level. That’s why I have a great belief in him.”
Early Challenges
Back in his early teens playing for IFK Aspudden-Tellus, who are situated in Stockholm’s outskirts, that Gyökeres first understood he would have to develop a thick skin to succeed in his selected career. Rebuked after a disappointing display by a coach who said he didn’t have the mentality to make it in elite soccer, he ended up being converted from a wide player into a striker after joining Brommapojkarna two years later. “That one stuck with me and I think about it often,” he said in a recent interview.
Difficult Phase
Without a goal since the triumph over Nottingham Forest at home back on 13 September, this has been one of the most testing periods of his career. Gyökeres was heavily criticised after Sweden were beaten by Kosovo and Switzerland in World Cup qualifiers in the last two weeks, with one newspaper characterizing his outing against the latter as “unnoticeable.”
He achieved an incredible 54 goals in 52 appearances in all tournaments for Sporting last season, so the problem is obviously not his scoring ability. In line with the coach’s repeated comments, his complete game has added a new layer in offense, even if the opportunities have not come to him.
Game Analysis
This was certainly in evidence during the initial 45 minutes of this elite matchup between two teams that had initially seemed closely contested. There was a feeling that Gyökeres was trying too hard to make an impact as he ran aggressively like a bull in a china shop during the opening minutes. An Eberechi Eze shot that bounced on to the bar inside the initial stages was originated from some sharp footwork on the edge of the Atlético area that skillfully evaded from his marker, José María Giménez.
The defender has the aura of a man who could provoke conflict anywhere but is highly seasoned at this level compared with Gyökeres, who is participating in just his second Champions League campaign after bagging a triple for Sporting against Manchester City last season that likely played a key role to persuading Arteta to make the move.
Relentless Effort
Yet having attracted criticism that he was out of shape after missing most of pre-season in Portugal, Arsenal’s considerably trimmer striker chased down every ball as if his life depended on it. Giménez was fooled into conceding a booking when Gyökeres collided with him on the edge of the Atlético area having merely stood his ground. Gabriel Martinelli saw his attempt canceled for offside after converting Bukayo Saka’s cross and it only came in the second half that the Swede had his first sight of goal.
A exquisite touch from Martinelli provided a golden opportunity, only for Jan Oblak to swiftly block an weak effort towards goal. Then it must have seemed as if the first score would not arrive. But the goals flowed when Gabriel nodded in Rice’s free-kick and Gyökeres was perfectly positioned to benefit as the man in the mask left his imprint. “With any luck this is the commencement of a prolific period,” said a delighted Arteta.
