Bassey Effiong

GYÖKERES WHAT A BANGER 😮‍💨

🚨 Thierry Henry on Viktor Gyökeres’ first-half performance against Slavia Prague: 🗣️ “Someone in the studio said to me after Noni scored, ‘That’ll do Viktor some good. Now he just needs a goal.’ I remember thinking, hold on a minute. Why are we already moving past what he has just done? Everyone is so focused on whether Viktor scores that they sometimes overlook the quality of his contribution to the team. Look at the first goal again. The ball is coming towards him, the defender is right behind him, putting pressure on him. But Viktor uses his body brilliantly, protects the ball and knows exactly where Noni is before most players would even have time to look up. One touch, and suddenly Noni is through. Now, watch Noni’s movement. He is already accelerating because he trusts Viktor to find him. That is not something that happens by accident. That is an understanding between two players. I know what it feels like to be a striker. You can play an excellent game, create chances, bring others into play and do everything your manager asks, but if you don’t score, you go home thinking about that one thing you didn’t do. The goals become the only thing people want to talk about. And when a striker goes through a difficult period, you sometimes see him forcing things. He starts looking for his own goal in situations where the team would benefit more from a simple pass. I understand that pressure. Every striker wants that moment when he can celebrate in front of the supporters and finally feel that the hard work is paying off. But look at Viktor tonight. Nine minutes into the game, he has an opportunity to make something happen for himself, yet he recognises that Noni is in a better position and releases the ball immediately. No hesitation, no selfishness, just the right decision. Then comes the second goal. Merino finds him, and look at how quickly he adjusts his feet before finishing. That is what you want from your striker. He doesn’t overcomplicate it. He doesn’t start thinking about how much the goal means or how long he has waited for it. He simply takes the opportunity. For me, that is what Arsenal need to understand about Gyökeres. You cannot judge his entire contribution by the number of goals he scores. His ability to hold the ball, bring others into play, occupy defenders and create space for the players around him is equally important. And something else is happening here. Arsenal are beginning to understand how to use him, and Viktor is beginning to understand the movements of the players around him. That first goal showed both things perfectly. People will watch the second goal again and again because of the finish, and rightly so. But I would tell them to watch the first goal just as closely. Because while everybody was waiting for Gyökeres to score, look at what he was already doing for Arsenal. Noni was running because he knew his striker would find him. Sometimes, the best thing a striker can do is not score the goal himself, but make sure his teammate does. And tonight, Viktor Gyökeres showed exactly that.”

🚨🎙️ Gary Neville on why Arsenal should seriously consider Cesc Fàbregas as Mikel Arteta’s eventual replacement: 🗣️ Gary Neville: “I’ll tell you something, watching what Cesc Fàbregas is building at Como, I think Arsenal should be paying very close attention. “Look at what he’s done with that club. He’s taken them from being relatively unknown in European football to competing on a completely different level. Tonight, they put nine goals past Lens. Nine! That’s not an ordinary result. “What impresses me most isn’t just the scoreline. It’s the identity, the confidence, the aggression and the way his team understands how he wants them to play. You can see a clear footballing philosophy developing. “Now, I’m not saying Arsenal should get rid of Mikel Arteta. Far from it. Arteta has built something significant at the Emirates. But football moves quickly, and every big club should be thinking about succession before they actually need it. “Fàbregas knows Arsenal. He understands the club, understands its expectations and has already started proving himself as a manager. Imagine what he could do with the resources available at the Emirates. “At some point, Arsenal might have to make a decision about the future, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Cesc’s name comes up very seriously. “He’s only getting started, and if Como continue developing at this rate, bigger clubs will eventually come knocking.” One thing is becoming clear: Cesc Fàbregas is no longer just a former footballer trying his hands at management. He’s building a serious reputation on the touchline. Arsenal fans might want to keep that name in mind!”

🚨 Eberechi Eze reveals the interesting conversation he had with Viktor Gyökeres after Arsenal’s victory over Slavia Prague: 🗣️ Eberechi Eze: “After the final whistle, I walked over to Viktor because there was something I wanted to tell him. I said, ‘You know what I love about playing alongside you? You don’t need ten opportunities to make an impact. Give you one quality pass and you’ll make defenders regret giving you space.’ “He laughed and replied, ‘Then stop giving me good passes and start giving me great ones.’ laughs “I looked at him and said, ‘So you’re blaming me already?’ He said, ‘I’m challenging you. There’s a difference.’ “That actually made me think. He told me, ‘Eze, whenever you receive the ball between the lines, I don’t want you looking for the easiest option. I want you looking for me.’ “I told him, ‘Sometimes you’ve got three defenders surrounding you.’ “He said, ‘I don’t care. If I make the run, trust me. Don’t decide on my behalf that the pass is impossible.’ “Honestly, that stuck with me. “I then reminded him that Arsenal supporters would expect goals from him almost every time he stepped onto the pitch. “He smiled and said, ‘Good. That’s exactly why I came here.’ “I asked him, ‘So there’s no pressure?’ “He looked at me and replied, ‘Pressure is when people stop expecting anything from you.’ “That was a serious answer. “I laughed and told him, ‘You know Arsenal fans will go crazy if we start building this understanding every week.’ “He replied, ‘Let them go crazy. We haven’t achieved anything yet.’ “I reminded him that we’d just won, but he said, ‘One victory doesn’t make you champions. It simply gives you another reason to believe.’ “Then he pointed at me and said, ‘And you, stop thinking your only responsibility is creating opportunities for other people.’ “I asked him what he meant. “He said, ‘You’re a match-winner yourself. Don’t spend your entire career making everybody else look good. Take responsibility, demand the ball and decide games too.’ “I honestly didn’t have an answer for that. “Before we walked away, he shook my hand and said, ‘Next game, find me earlier.’ “I replied, ‘Next game, make your runs earlier.’ “He smiled and walked away. “That’s when I realised that this is the kind of mentality you want in your dressing room. Viktor doesn’t just want to score goals; he wants the people around him to demand more from themselves. “If we can develop that understanding consistently, I genuinely believe we can become a nightmare for defenders.” Sometimes, the most dangerous partnerships aren’t built on the pitch alone. They’re built on conversations, trust and two players demanding more from each other. Arsenal fans will love to see this connection develop.

He’s been balling for us this season. I pray he continues with this form.