Arsenal FC: Mikel Arteta reveals 'Disneyland' warning after predicting inevitable Viktor Gyokeres scenario

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Arsenal: Mikel Arteta reveals 'Disneyland' warning after predicting inevitable Viktor Gyokeres scenario

Swede has failed to score in his last eight games for club and country as pressure builds on Arsenal’s big summer signing

Mikel Arteta is confident Viktor Gyokeres will be back scoring goals for Arsenal very soon

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Mikel Arteta warned Viktor Gyokeres before his move to Arsenal that life in north London would not be like a trip to Disneyland.

In fact, Arteta made a point of stressing there would be tough times for Gyokeres, moments when the goals that earned him his move would inevitably dry up.

Neither Arteta nor Gyokeres, however, could have predicted such a scenario would come quite as early as this.

It is only the middle of October, but the Swede heads to Fulham today having failed to score in his last eight games for club and country.

Gyokeres has not endured a drought like this since the middle of the 2021-22 season, when he was at Coventry.

Arteta is not worried, though, and his confidence stems from a conversation he had with Gyokeres before the striker signed for Arsenal in the summer.

The idea of Gyokeres going through a difficult period - and not, as Arteta put it, “the Disneyland scenario” - was raised, and the Swede’s reaction was telling.

“He looks at you and doesn’t move,” said Arteta. “He was on the screen like this and he just said: ‘It’s fine’.

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“That’s him. There’s no emotion there, he just has a single-targeted mindset. That’s what I love about him.”

I haven’t seen that for any player, except one or two in history. So get ready and deal with it with naturally, and obviously with all the support that he has from us

Mikel Arteta

Arsenal, like most modern clubs, place huge emphasis on data and analytics, particularly in scouting.

Indeed, the club’s assistant head of recruitment, Mark Curtis, had his role changed in August to head of football intelligence.

But immeasurable qualities, such as character and personality, remain a key part of the equation.

When Arsenal scouted Aaron Ramsdale before signing him in 2021, they studied clips of how he reacted after making mistakes.

There was also an appreciation of the goalkeeper’s difficult journey to the top, and how that experience could prepare him for the spotlight at Arsenal.

The same could be said of Gyokeres, who at 27 years old has had to wait patiently for his chance at a big club.

“He has not been a top striker in all of his career,” said Arteta. “His journey had bumps in the road.

“And when you go to a level, you’re going to have this, it doesn’t go like this (motions a constant upward curve).

“I haven’t seen that for any player, except one or two in history. So get ready and deal with it with naturally, and obviously with all the support that he has from us.”

Viktor Gyokeres has not scored for Arsenal since the win over Nottingham Forest last month

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Arteta is, so far, pleased with how Gyokeres has handled this barren spell.

The Swede may not have been scoring, but his presence and work off the ball has created space for others.

Bukayo Saka referenced that after Arsenal’s win over West Ham earlier this month, and no team has had more different scorers, excluding own goals, than the Gunners in the Premier League this season.

“Viktor adds so many things, that probably are not noticeable,” said Arteta. “He creates environment and space and solutions to a lot of the players around him.

“And with the talent that we have in the team, I’m sure that everybody, him included, will benefit from that.”

Still, Gyokeres will be desperate to end his goal drought. As much as his work off the ball deserves praise, he did not take the No14 shirt at Arsenal for that reason.

The Swede joined because he believed he could be the man to score the goals that end Arsenal’s 21-year wait for the Premier League title.

Fulham on Saturday offers the chance to get back on track, and it marks the start of a favourable run of games. Arsenal face newly promoted sides Burnley and Sunderland before the next international break.

By then, Gyokeres will hope to be in a different place - not least because Kai Havertz will be closing to returning to action.

Gyokeres has had to carry the load in the German’s absence, and that should not be overlooked. He has been integrated quicker than planned, and during a run that included trips to Anfield, Old Trafford and St James’ Park.

Now that the fixtures are turning, Arteta hopes Gyokeres’ luck will, too.

“I think he is in the right zone,” he said. “He has been very unlucky. The more I watch of his action, the more I realise he has been very, very unlucky not to score another four or five goals, easily by now.

“They will come and at some time he will have the luck he did not have before.”

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