Arsenal’s Frustrating Draw at Nottingham Forest: Gyokeres Struggles Continue

Viktor Gyokeres faced yet another frustrating evening in an Arsenal jersey as the Gunners squandered the opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League table, settling for a 0-0 draw against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

Despite dominating possession and attempting 15 shots on goal throughout the match, Mikel Arteta’s side was unable to convert their chances. The manager expressed his disappointment, stating, “Every week is an opportunity. We aim to win every game, and if we had done that, our position would be different. We made a step, albeit a smaller one than we desired, but it is still a step.”

Gyokeres has managed to score only once in his last ten Premier League appearances for Arsenal, prompting Arteta to call for more from his striker. He remarked, “We expect our players to be decisive at this level because we need them to score goals and create key moments that can change the game. We haven’t achieved that, and it’s a shared responsibility.”

Arteta acknowledged that Gyokeres is not the only player underperforming in front of goal. He added, “We came here to win the game, but we couldn’t achieve that for various reasons. Credit to Nottingham Forest for their organization and ability to disrupt our momentum. However, we created several significant chances, including an open goal for Gabriel Martinelli, a tap-in for Declan Rice, a chance for Mikel Merino, and a header from Bukayo Saka, along with a clear penalty that was not awarded. The fact that we didn’t win despite not conceding a single shot on target is disappointing. We can certainly improve, especially in our attacking play.”

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Before transferring to Arsenal for £64 million (€74m/$86m), Gyokeres scored an impressive 97 goals in 102 matches for Sporting. However, he has struggled to replicate that form at Arsenal, and his goal-scoring difficulties have been analyzed by Jamie Redknapp. Redknapp observed, “I can’t say I followed him closely at Sporting, but I can imagine the delivery he received from wing-backs in their system. At Arsenal, he’s facing challenges because both Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli prefer to cut back onto their stronger foot, which affects Gyokeres’s ability to find space and score.”

Arsenal now shifts its focus to the Champions League, preparing for a match against Inter at San Siro. Gyokeres has found the net twice in four Champions League appearances this season, with both goals scored during a 4-0 victory over Atletico Madrid in October. Following the Champions League encounter, Arsenal will face Manchester United in the Premier League.