Viktor Gyokeres form: Has Arsenal forward asked a major tactical question of Mikel Arteta?

Much of the international break was dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo’s early and dramatic exit from the Portugal squad, Manchester City being found guilty of financial irregularities and, of course, Lionel Messi’s 208th and final appearance for Argentina.

However, many observers not following Arsenal closely may have overlooked one key aspect: Viktor Gyokeres’s goalscoring form for Sweden.

The Arsenal player left London Colney for UEFA Nations League duty after five competitive appearances without a goal for Arsenal, and having not netted from open play for club or country since his strike for Sweden against Tunisia in mid-June.

In truth, the minutes accumulated for Mikel Arteta’s side were scarce, making it difficult to draw any significant conclusions, and perhaps therein lay the issue. Gyokeres played for 15 minutes in the Community Shield victory over Manchester City, 12 in the win against Chelsea and 17 in the 3-0 loss to Brighton & Hove Albion before the break.

Admittedly, he started matches against Napoli and Ipswich Town, yielding little in terms of positives, sealing his mid-term fate in the eyes of some Arsenal fans, who remained sceptical about the former Sporting Lisbon forward’s abilities after his first year in North London.

Such reservations persisted despite a commendable debut season statistically, as the 28-year-old scored 14 league goals in 36 appearances, effectively averaging a goal every 2.6 games.

However, modern football fans are no longer swayed by raw statistics alone, with critics often citing his average penalty-box threat — attributed to his perceived suboptimal movement in the 18-yard area — as justification for their criticism.

Despite starting matches in Naples and against Ipswich, he was unused in the opening two league wins over promoted Coventry City and Aston Villa, and managed just 17 minutes in the crushing 3-0 defeat at the Amex. Indeed, this made the extended international break timely for the Arsenal forward, who evidently needed a fresh environment.

Fast forward a fortnight since the loss to Brighton, and few would be as pleased as Arteta to see Gyokeres return to London after an impressive streak of four goals in four matches, making him the only player to score in seven consecutive Nations League appearances.

A list of players to score in seven straight Nations League games: - Viktor Gyökeres End of list. https://t.co/lC9Fe5gnJZ
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 5, 2026

Here, Sports Mole assesses whether Gyokeres’s form for the national team can translate into performances for the reigning Premier League champions.

Viktor Gyokeres form: How did he score on international duty?

Viktor Gyokeres Nations League goals

Gyokeres’s first goal for his country came about thanks to some good fortune, as Ionut Radu deflected Lucas Bergvall’s effort from outside the box into the Arsenal forward’s path. In fairness, though, Sweden’s No. 17 did well to react quickly and score from close range despite the Romanian defender’s attempts to clear off the goal line.
Gyokeres’s strike against Poland showcased the forward’s decent movement, allowing him to connect to Patrik Walemark’s cross at the back post to make it three for Graham Potter’s team.
Against Bosnia and Herzegovina, the forward scored a classic goal, running onto Alexander Bernhardsson’s pass before heading for the penalty area and smashing his effort into the roof of the net to open the scoring in the eventual 1-1 draw.
Gyokeres’s fourth was a genuine gift, with the forward having little to do when presented with a chance worth 0.96 Expected Goals (xG) to continue his hot streak.

However, how replicable are those strikes for Arsenal, who play differently to Sweden? Gyokeres’s style has often seemed awkward within the Arsenal setup, despite scoring double figures in goals last season.

However, a confident forward is an undeniable asset to Arteta’s side, regardless of whether his approach fits into the Gunners’ overall play.

Given that Kai Havertz sustained a muscle injury in Germany’s 1-1 draw with the Netherlands, having a confident Gyokeres ensures that the former Chelsea player can be eased back into match action.

Indeed, this presents a win-win scenario, as it guarantees the Swede some minutes to find his goalscoring form for his club and maintain the momentum he gained during the international break.

Nonetheless, a stylistic issue should be considered.

Victor Gyokeres form: How will the forward fare without a strike partner at Arsenal?

A standout feature of Potter’s Sweden side is their tendency to play two up front, with Alexander Isak partnering Gyokeres against Romania in Solna, Benjamin Nygren in the 3-1 win over Poland, Besfort Zeneli in the draw with Bosnia and Zeneli again in the reverse meeting with Romania.

Arsenal employ a completely different tactic, with Martin Odegaard primarily utilised in the No. 10 role and Max Dowman stepping in for the Norwegian.

While the Gunners have the talent to play two up top, given the presence of Havertz and even Mikel Merino, such a tactic only makes sense if Arteta’s team find themselves in a situation where they need to chase a game, which is a rarity for the North London club.

Therefore, a stylistic approach that benefitted Gyokeres’s form for Sweden may not be replicated by his club manager, raising questions about the sustainability of his form and whether it can be reproduced upon his return to London Colney.

Regardless, Gyokeres is scoring again, and while doubts linger, his current hot streak means he returns to the hustle of English football a different player from the one that left about three weeks ago.

That has to count for something, doesn’t it?