Viktor Gyokeres has shed light on the reported meeting Arsenal’s players held before their 4-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League.
The Gunners cruised to all three points in N17, courtesy of braces from Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze. The result sees Mikel Arteta’s side move five points clear of chasers Manchester City, although Pep Guardiola’s outfit have a game in hand on the leaders.
After back-to-back draws away from home, it was imperative that Arsenal didn’t slip up against their noisy neighbours, and they certainly didn’t. An emphatic and ruthless performance ensued, and Gyokeres believes the clear-the-air talks that he and his teammates had following the draw at Wolves on Wednesday were key to enabling this.
Viktor Gyokeres says Arsenal ‘came closer together’ during talks
Arsenal looked like a team revitalised against Tottenham, brewing with energy and a desire to attack Igor Tudor’s team. Creating in excess of two expected goals and amassing 20 shots, it was certainly as cohesive an attacking performance as any Arteta’s side have produced this term.
Against Wolves, the tone of the Gunners’ performance was very different. Arsenal looked tense and burdened with pressure at Molineux, and this subsequently cost them. After returning from the West Midlands, the North Londoners’ squad held a meeting at London Colney, in which a number of individuals expressed their feelings on the team’s downturn in form.
Speaking to the Sun, Gyokeres lifted the lid on the behind-the-scenes congregation, claiming that it was hugely beneficial and perhaps sparked the win over Tottenham.
“I think that’s what we had to do,” he said. “If you’re not honest, I think it’s hard to improve. I think that’s the most important thing, to be honest, especially in this team. So yes, it was a good chat.
“Most of us spoke. It’s important sometimes just to say what you feel and to let it out in the group.
“Everyone can recognise how different people feel in the moment, and you get a better understanding of the feeling. When you speak in the group openly like that, I think you come closer together and it’s very important to do that sometimes.”
Arsenal certainly performed like a team that had been liberated and weren’t acutely conscious of the pressure that they’re under. Arteta will undoubtedly try and recreate this relaxed atmosphere moving forward.
| Viktor Gyokeres’ Statistics vs Tottenham | |
| Minutes Played | 90 |
| Touches | 42 |
| Shots | 4 |
| Expected Goals | 0.32 |
| Key Passes | 1 |
| Accurate Passes | 18/27 (67%) |
| Touches in Opposition Box | 6 |
| Expected Assists | 0.36 |
What Viktor Gyokeres said about Eberechi Eze’s performance against Tottenham
Gyokeres and Eze have struggled to conjure up a lethal partnership for much of this season, although they certainly showed signs that they can combine effectively during the win at Spurs. The two players exchanged passes in the lead up to Eze’s second goal, while the former Crystal Palace man’s clever movement created space for the Swede to score his first.
“When you have a No 10 with his qualities, it’s very easy,” Gyokeres said on Eze.
“Also players like Martin (Odegaard) and Kai (Havertz). It helps massively. When I’m involved like I was in the match, and get the balls around the box as well, it’s easier then to show my qualities and be able to score goals.
“For me, I love to score, no matter who we are playing, but of course, in this kind of game, it’s always enjoyable to score.
“The thing is that we have to keep showing it in the next game and the game after that. There’s a lot of games to go. If we perform like this, it’s going to be good, for sure.”
