Arsenal make Viktor Gyokeres change as stats spell out reality for £64m star

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For the third Premier League game on the bounce Viktor Gyokeres went without a goal and, inevitably, the questions and the analysis of his performance began. Arsenal's £64million striker was signed to score the goals that would take them to the title.

The Gunners currently sit top of the pile, but that is not due to the Swede's goals. The bedding in period is certainly still on the go as he failed to score against lowly West Ham - the type of game that you'd think would be perfect to put any noise to rest.

Instead the volume has only increased and the stats do suggest that Gyokeres should have scored more by now. So far the only two teams that the ex-Sporting Lisbon man has scored against are Leeds and Nottingham Forest - both at the Emirates.

In games against Liverpool , Manchester City and Newcastle he has thus far failed to have the impact he or his manager would have liked.

The basic stats read 10 games in all competitions, three goals. One of those was a penalty. Gyokeres is scoring goal every 251 minutes - just shy of three games. If he kept up that rate he'd score around 13 goals in his debut season.

He's had 23 shots, giving him a conversion rate of 13 percent. The famed xG claims he should have four goals to his name, not three. Either way, it is fair to say those connected with Arsenal may have expected more.

To give Gyokeres his dues, no one in the Premier League beyond Erling Haaland and Antoine Semenyo are pulling up trees with their goal returns. So much so that the Arsenal new boy is the joint fifth highest scorer in the league - more than Mohamed Salah , Cody Gapo and Benjamin Sesko.

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Gyokeres has not enjoyed a lightning fast start, but his numbers when compared to some of the other big movers over the summer do add some context. Hugo Ekitike, Alexander Isak and Sesko all sit level or below the Swede when it comes to goals as they deal with hefty expectations.

If Mikel Arteta is to get the most from Gyokeres then it will require his Arsenal side to change how they attack. Much has been made of how Kai Havertz, who had become the preferred main to lead the line, linked the team together and helped them dominate games.

Much was also made of how he simply isn't a natural No 9 - and in the box that was sometimes evident. Arsenal hoped they had solved the second issue with the signing of Gyokeres, but were potentially going to have to lose some of their natural rhythm.

The Swede is a throwback in the way he plays, although a conventional No 9 is coming back into fashion. Arsenal have looked to be more direct, less intricate, and the number of crosses they put into the box has underlined that.

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This season, in comparison to last term, they've fired in an extra 34 crosses. The success of those crosses has gone up and so has their accuracy. Gyokeres still needs to do his part though, which is the problem at present. His team-mates don't see it that way though and Bukayo Saka insists he contributions are vital in them rising to the top.

"I think Viktor's playing really, really well," Saka said after the win over West Ham. "There's no doubt he's going to score goals. What he's bringing to this team, us as his team-mates, we're so grateful for what he does - how he holds the ball, how he makes the runs, the threat he gives us.

"He's a big part of the reason why we're winning these games. His goals will come. We know that, we believe that and we believe in him. I don't think there's any doubts. He's still up, he's still happy and he's still giving his best every game."

The narrative around Arsenal had been that they were a No 9 short of taking that final step. The identification of which No 9 to go after was always going to be crucial and they landed on Gyokeres. All the while he's not scoring, the questions will persist over their decisions and where that leaves a team desperate for success.

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