Gyokeres (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Arsenal striker criticised after third straight game without a goal

Originally posted on Just Arsenal | Last updated Oct 5, 2025 10:30 AM ET

Coming into the season, Arsenal were desperate to find a reliable source of goals.

They passed on the chance to sign a raw Benjamin Sesko, instead opting for the more seasoned Viktor Gyokeres, who had notched 97 goals across two seasons with Sporting CP.

A £63.5 million deal brought the Swede to North London, with one clear expectation: score goals.

Having found the net against weaker opposition earlier in the campaign, West Ham at home was seen as the perfect opportunity for Gyokeres to reignite his scoring touch and build some confidence.

However, it did not go as planned.

Tough day at the office

Despite Arsenal’s 2-0 win over the Hammers, this marked a third consecutive game without a goal for Gyokeres, and he never truly looked like scoring.

Yes, he led the line with intent and worked tirelessly for the team, but ultimately goals judge strikers. On that front, he came up short.

Media reaction to Gyokeres’ display

So, another 90 minutes without a goal, how did the press react?

The Express did not hold back:
“Struggled to make any sort of impact. Charged around the pitch a lot but lacked the end product to match. Not good enough.”

Football London summed it up bluntly:
“It was, to put it bluntly, a bit disappointing.”

The Sun captured the frustration:
“The more he tries, the less he looks like scoring. He looks so tense and so anxious to get on the scoresheet that it is having an adverse effect on his game.

“Saying that, he does all the other bits really well, but the fans are going to get bored with that if he does not start scoring soon.

“He also has to learn how to cope with and shake off overly aggressive defenders. West Ham did a proper man-marking job on him, and he could not find much space.”

International break: curse or cure?

The timing of the international break could not be worse for Gyokeres, or it may be exactly what he needs.

A chance to reset, find the net on international duty, and return with renewed confidence.

If he can rediscover his scoring touch with Sweden, he might return ready to silence the critics and remind everyone why Arsenal backed him to deliver.

What are you thoughts on Gyokeres?

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This article first appeared on Just Arsenal and was syndicated with permission.

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