Viktor Gyökeres (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Do Arsenal still lack a true No.9 despite Gyokeres? One former manager think so

Originally posted on Just Arsenal | Last updated Oct 7, 2025 7:02 AM ET

A point clear of league rivals Liverpool, Arsenal sit exactly where they need to be in their pursuit of the title.

With just five points dropped, their position is no fluke, it has been earned on merit. Following last summer’s spending spree, Mikel Arteta now has a powerful squad at his disposal. Few would spot a weakness in this Arsenal side, but Glenn Hoddle has.

The former Tottenham Hotspur boss agrees Arsenal boast one of the finest squads in the league. Yet he believes the lack of a reliable goalscorer, while hinting that Viktor Gyokeres is yet to fully prove himself in that role, is holding this team back.

The missing link

Speaking on PL Productions via the Metro, Hoddle said:

“They have got good defenders, they can defend as a team, and they have got offensive players and creators too.

“The only missing link at the moment is a No.9 who is going to put the ball in the back of the net, time and time again.

“Gyokeres might end up like that, I do not know. I think that is the only question mark there.”

When Arsenal signed Gyokeres, they believed they were landing a goalscoring monster. So far, he has yet to live up to that billing. His three goals in ten games are not enough for a side chasing the title. Worse still, he is now six games without a goal.

Something has to give

The international break could not have come at a better time. Gyokeres needs to use it to reset, reflect and return to firing goals left, right and centre.

Many believe Gyokeres is in his ‘settling in’ period and that he has already made a big impact in Red & White, with more goals to come as his teammates adjust to having a proper no.9 in their midst,

He has been handed the chance to cement his place as Arsenal’s No.9, but without goals, he risks losing that spot to Kai Havertz once he returns, and that would be a bitter pill to swallow.

Your thoughts Gooners?

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

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