Man in the Mask Gyökeres Stifles Jibes to Leave an Impression at Arsenal

If Viktor Gyökeres transforms into the forward that every Arsenal supporters have been praying for, then perhaps they will look back on this night as the point his destiny changed. In keeping with the timeless attacker’s creed, it makes no difference how they find the net.

On the back of nine matches for Arsenal and Sweden without a goal and scrutiny increasing on the man acquired for a hefty fee in the offseason, a huge wave of relief washed over the Emirates Stadium when Gyökeres tapped in from near distance via a deflection off David Hancko during a pulsating second half when Mikel Arteta’s side demonstrated once more that they are here to compete this season.

Stunning Reversal in Form

Within moments and to the joy of the local supporters, his Bane-inspired gesture inspired by the antagonist Bane in Batman, whose signature quote is “I was ignored before the mask,” was showcased again after forcing home from Gabriel Magalhães’s header following a Declan Rice corner to seal the victory against Atlético Madrid. On the sidelines, Arteta punched the air and motioned emphatically in the direction of his new centre forward, of whom he has spent the previous 14 days insisting the best was yet to come.

“This is football, and we must not assume a player to change contexts and have him perform identically right away,” the Arsenal manager stated in a discussion with the Spanish newspaper Marca prior to the match. “Circumstances vary greatly. All players in the world need one thing: their psychological state to be at its optimum. I informed Viktor in our initial discussion that the No 9 I wanted for Arsenal was someone who could stay resilient when they faced a goal drought without scoring. If not, you’re not suited at this level. That’s why I have a strong confidence in him.”

Youthful Struggles

When he was just 14 playing for IFK Aspudden-Tellus, who are based in Stockholm’s outskirts, that Gyökeres first understood he would have to toughen up to thrive in his chosen profession. Rebuked after a disappointing display by a coach who said he lacked the mindset to excel in elite soccer, he ended up being converted from a flank attacker into a striker after signing for Brommapojkarna two years later. “That one stuck with me and I still remember it today,” he said not long ago.

Challenging Spell

Having failed to score since the victory against Nottingham Forest here back on 13 September, this has been one of the hardest times of his career. Gyökeres was widely panned after Sweden were beaten by Kosovo and Switzerland in World Cup qualifiers in the previous 14 days, with one newspaper labeling his display against the latter as “absent.”

He managed an astounding 54 goals in 52 appearances across all competitions for Sporting last season, so the difficulty is evidently not his finishing. As Arteta has frequently pointed out, his overall contribution has added a new layer in attack, even if the openings have not come to him.

Key Moments

This was plainly visible during the opening period of this elite matchup between two teams that had at first appeared evenly matched. There was a sense that Gyökeres was trying too hard to stand out as he bustled about like a bull in a china shop during the early stages. An Eberechi Eze shot that bounced on to the bar inside the initial stages was originated from some clever dribbling on the edge of the Atlético area that skillfully evaded from his defender, José María Giménez.

The defender has the reputation of a man who could start a fight in an empty bar but is deeply knowledgeable at this level compared with Gyökeres, who is competing in merely his second Champions League campaign after netting three goals for Sporting against Manchester City last season that must have gone a long way to influencing Arteta to take the plunge.

Unyielding Drive

Nevertheless having drawn comments that he was carrying a few too many pounds after sitting out the buildup in Portugal, Arsenal’s much more svelte-looking striker harried all opponents as if his life depended on it. Giménez was tricked into conceding a yellow card when Gyökeres made contact on the edge of the Atlético area having simply held his position. Gabriel Martinelli saw his attempt canceled for offside after finishing Bukayo Saka’s cross and it only came in the second half that the Swede had his first sight of goal.

A sumptuous flick from Martinelli created an ideal chance, only for Jan Oblak to quickly smother an unconvincing toe-poke towards goal. Then it must have appeared that the first score would never come. But the goals flowed when Gabriel scored with a header Rice’s free-kick and Gyökeres was able to take full advantage as the forward with the disguise made his mark. “With any luck this is the commencement of a prolific period,” said a delighted Arteta.