In the closing moments of last season’s Champions League final, Viktor Gyokeres came close to scoring a decisive goal for Arsenal. With just 15 seconds of extra time left, he fired a shot that was narrowly deflected wide, a moment that remains his last attempt on goal for the club in competitive play outside a penalty shoot-out and a single cup match. Since that near-miss 139 days ago, Gyokeres’s on-field contributions have been limited, raising questions about his role and form at Arsenal.

This season, Gyokeres has accumulated only 56 Premier League minutes spread over three substitute appearances, along with two Champions League starts totaling 139 minutes and a brief community shield cameo. Despite these opportunities, he has registered no shots on goal and only four touches in the opposition penalty area, contrasting sharply with frontline strikers like Erling Haaland, who averages 4.5 shots and over six penalty-box touches per 90 minutes across all competitions.

Gyokeres concluded last season with a promising run of form, scoring nine goals in the final 15 league matches and netting an important goal in the Champions League semi-final against Atletico Madrid. His performance suggested potential progress in his second season. However, this promise has not materialized this term, leaving the forward largely peripheral in Arsenal’s attacking play. Analysts note that this disconnect is not entirely attributable to Gyokeres himself. For instance, during a recent Champions League match against Lille, a teammate bypassed a clear passing opportunity to Gyokeres in a prime scoring position, indicating possible tactical or team chemistry issues.

Comparisons have been drawn to the adapting process experienced by Haaland at Manchester City, where mutual adjustments between player and team have been key. Gyokeres, by contrast, joined an Arsenal side nearing maturity, expected to slot in immediately as a prolific finisher. This situation differs considerably from Haaland’s arrival as a promising 21-year-old, with Arsenal instead requiring an established, seamless addition, a challenge Gyokeres appears to have struggled with.

While Gyokeres’s struggles with Arsenal are evident, his performance for the Swedish national team tells a different story. Since his last shot for Arsenal, he has scored six goals for Sweden and became the first player to score in seven consecutive UEFA Nations League matches. Highlights of his dynamic play for Sweden, including a notable solo run against Belgium, have reignited debate over his form and ability, with some critics labeling him a player better suited to international competition than the Premier League’s demands.

From a statistical perspective, Gyokeres’s Premier League output has been slightly below expectations based on benchmarks from his previous tenure in Portugal. Analysts estimate a roughly 40 percent reduction in goal-scoring rates is typical when transitioning from the Portuguese league to the Premier League. Gyokeres had scored at a rate of 1.07 goals per 90 minutes in Portugal, projecting to approximately 0.64 in the Premier League indicative of some expected adjustment. His actual rate of 0.55 goals per 90 minutes suggests underperformance but not a drastic decline.

There is a broader tactical context influencing Gyokeres’s situation. Arsenal’s recent title-winning campaign was built largely on a strong defensive structure and efficient, if not prolific, goal scoring. Even discounting Gyokeres’s contributions, the team’s overall performance would have remained competitive. This season, Arsenal has maintained strong form in both domestic and European competitions despite Gyokeres’s limited involvement, which could be affecting his confidence and sense of indispensability.

Ultimately, Gyokeres’s current predicament exemplifies the complexities players face when integrating into well-established squads with high expectations. Whether Arsenal and Gyokeres can find a way to maximize his contributions remains to be seen, but for now, his role at the club remains a subject of scrutiny amid the team’s overall success.