Paul Merson has shed light on why he thinks Arsenal’s players “don’t trust” Viktor Gyokeres, while Ian Wright has delivered a straightforward message to the forward. Gyokeres joined Arsenal last summer from Sporting CP in a deal valued at £64million, including add-ons, effectively ending rampant speculation about the Gunners signing a striker.
Since his move to North London, Gyokeres has netted 11 goals in all competitions, with just six of those coming in the Premier League this season. Consequently, the Swedish international has occasionally faced criticism from pundits, with Merson being the latest to express his worries.
Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Merson suggested that he doesn’t believe Gyokeres is trusted by his Arsenal colleagues.
“I watch Gyokeres, Arsenal don’t trust him, the players,” he claimed. “They never pass to him, you watch him, next time he comes short they go ‘no’.”
Wright, an Arsenal legend, joined Merson on the podcast and had a word for Gyokeres. Wright outlined what he believes Gyokeres needs to communicate to the Gunners dressing room to potentially improve his form.
Wright queried: “Do you think it’s because they are not used to him because they haven’t had one [a striker] for so long? I’ve said I would be in the dressing room saying, ‘When it’s there, pass it to me, put it in the box’.
“This is what I am trying to explain, he’s got to go in there, coming where he’s come from and he’s got to start pulling people apart. It’s absolutely on him.”
Merson replied by drawing comparisons between the supply Gyokeres receives from Arsenal’s squad versus that enjoyed by his strike partner, Gabriel Jesus.
He explained: “If you watch it, you’d be surprised, then when [Gabriel] Jesus comes on, they [Arsenal players] keep on giving it him all the time.
“That’s what I see from when I watch the game, he [Gyokeres] comes short and they never give him it. He makes some good runs as well. He’s low [on confidence] at the moment but I don’t think they trust him at all.”
Gyokeres will have his next chance to score on Saturday when Arsenal welcome Sunderland in the Premier League.