7M - Viktor Gyokeres, Gabriel Jesus, and Kai Havertz Present Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta with a Forward Conundrum to Address

What Approach Should Arteta Take with His Forwards?

Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyokeres appeared to create a selection challenge for Mikel Arteta during Arsenal's victory against Inter Milan.

However, their scoring contributions might have actually demonstrated their appropriateness for the positions they occupied that evening.

Arsenal appeared much more dynamic in attack with Jesus leading the line from the start. The rapid exchange of passes culminating in their first goal was atypical for Mikel Arteta's team this campaign, featuring a clever assist from Jesus to Mikel Merino prior to his quick strike.

Jesus kept linking play effectively, drifting wide to link up with Arsenal's wingers, opening up areas for Eberechi Eze, supplying colleagues while facing away from goal, and at one moment, advancing with the ball to set up Bukayo Saka.

His showing, in just his third outing from the beginning this term, echoed the thrilling efforts after his transfer from Manchester City in 2022, prior to the initial series of setbacks from injuries.

Naturally, there was a goal from a dead-ball situation as well, when he headed his second across the line off a corner. Yet, his influence was most evident in flowing play. Arsenal seemed transformed due to their center-forward's creativity and ball control.

These are attributes Gyokeres doesn't possess. But entering as a replacement, with Inter pushing for a leveler, he managed to display his strengths, exploiting gaps on transitions to connect with Gabriel Martinelli's through-ball before delivering an excellent finish.

It was a strike Jesus likely couldn't have produced. Similarly, Jesus's opener, with the detailed buildup beforehand, was one Gyokeres probably couldn't have achieved.

The initial portion of the season has highlighted the shortcomings in Gyokeres's style. But it's also accurate that the scenarios for his Tuesday goal have seldom arisen for him in the Premier League, where room is scarce and teams stay tight.

Instances when rivals get extended usually happen toward the end of matches, as they fatigue and frequently pursue equalizers. By then, Gyokeres, who has begun all except three of his 20 league outings to date, has typically been withdrawn.

Arteta's decisions have been somewhat compelled. Absences of Jesus and Kai Havertz made Gyokeres his sole fit option up top for large parts of the season. But the possibility to adjust his usage exists for the Arsenal coach now, and the necessity is obvious.

Arsenal have secured 13 victories from 17 league fixtures featuring Gyokeres from the outset, but this owes much to dependence on dead balls. They've managed just 13 goals from open play in those 17 outings versus 10 in the remaining five. There's a disparity in open-play anticipated goals as well.

It's not by chance that several of Arsenal's strongest and smoothest offensive displays this year, versus Bayern Munich, Tottenham, and now Inter Milan, occurred when Arteta opted for either Mikel Merino or Jesus as the central striker instead of Gyokeres.

Similar to Havertz, they offer additional value in the position. Greater involvement, more distributions, superior contest-winning skills, and, maybe most tellingly, additional strikes. Erling Haaland shows that minimal touches aren't always problematic for a forward. But only if that forward is converting.

Gyokeres, lacking a non-spot-kick league goal since November 1, simply isn't delivering that. Across his 17 starts as the main attacker in the league, his finishing efficiency lags behind any of the competitors vying for Arsenal's central role.

None of this implies Gyokeres can't contribute to Arteta. It could simply demand a rethinking of his deployment.

For £64m, it's reasonable to expect he wasn't acquired to sit on the bench. But it's undoubtedly preferable to employ him where he excels, as a persistent threat against weary backlines, rather than hoping he evolves into something different.

Certainly, the scenario could differ if Havertz had been fit to divide the time centrally, rather than sidelined alongside Jesus due to a knee issue in August. Reduced starts and increased substitute appearances might have fit Gyokeres more effectively.

That would have simplified matters for Arteta too.

Havertz's clinical edge has frustrated Arsenal fans throughout his tenure. But although Gyokeres's acquisition aimed to provide sharper finishing, Havertz likely stays their primary selection there when healthy.

It's notable that when a groin problem ended his previous season prematurely, Havertz had netted 15 times, on pace for his most prolific club term.

In 31 Premier League starts as an Arsenal attacker overall, he boasts 24 direct contributions, including 15 goals and nine setups. And that's alongside all else he provides in the spot.

These are remarkably strong figures that emphasize the possible importance of his recovery, which, annoyingly for Arsenal, is progressing slower than anticipated. Havertz remained unused against Nottingham Forest and Inter, despite prior brief appearances in triumphs over Portsmouth and Chelsea.

Jesus, naturally, has only just recovered from his own absence.

But if choosing between him or Gyokeres versus Manchester United, the San Siro events may have indicated the path ahead.