Gael Clichy explains why ‘new’ Arsenal needed Viktor Gyokeres over Alexander Isak

Gyokeres hopes to solve Arsenal’s problems up front (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal have become a team ‘excited not to lose a game’, according to their former player Gael Clichy, with Mikel Arteta’s plans this season resting on the success of Viktor Gyokeres.  

The Gunners spent close to £270million during the summer transfer window with Gyokeres arriving to spearhead an attack also bolstered by the additions of Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze.

The Sweden international has had a mixed start to life in north London – scoring twice on his home debut against Leeds United but struggling away to Manchester United and Liverpool up against Matthijs de Ligt and Virgil van Dijk respectively.

Bringing in a traditional no9 has been long overdue with Alexander Isak long regarded as a dream signing in north London – now ready to shoot down their Premier League title hopes as Liverpool’s new leading man.

Gyokeres arrived with a marvellous scoring record of 54 goals on 52 appearances last season for Sporting CP with Clichy believing his presence is indicative of Arsenal taking an even more direct approach to winning games this season.

While suggesting Isak would have been a more popular addition, one more in tune with how his old side typically set themselves up in the past, Clichy believes a ‘new Arsenal’  are now built to accommodate a striker who thrives waiting inside the penalty box.

‘I think he will adapt,’ Clichy told Metro. ‘Is he the type of player that the Arsenal fans wanted to see? Probably not. Are they happy with him and will they support him? For sure, at the beginning, and they will hope for something amazing.

Clichy believes there will be a major change in how Arsenal play (Picture: Getty Images)

‘I don’t think he is the sort of player Arsenal are used to, I don’t think in the link-up side of the game he will provide what they need. I think someone like Isak was more suited but he [Gyokeres] will add something Arsenal didn’t have.

‘When you look at the players they have brought, they want to use those lines, use those wingers, create one-on-ones and get the ball into the box quickly. I think we will see a new Arsenal, an Arsenal that is more looking towards those situations.

‘Will it always work? I don’t know, like we saw against Manchester United and Liverpool, against top centre-halves, it is not that easy. But I think that is what we are going to see more of this season, more freedom for the wingers, getting the ball into the box for the new signing.

Isak was a long-term target for Arsenal (Picture: Getty)

‘Arsenal wanted Isak for sure, any team would love him. But it was down to whoever could match the price tag and I don’t think Arsenal were prepared to do that. Football in 2025 is about who can spend the money. He is a special player. but for Arsenal, when you look at the additions of Madueke and Eze, it just feels right to have someone who is going in the box all the time.’

Arsenal’s winning start to the new season came to an end at Anfield before the international break with Arteta’s ultra-conservative approach again coming into question.

Their reluctance to go for the jugular at Anfield or the Etihad has been the biggest mark against them during their transformation back into title contenders with recent evidence against Liverpool underlining Clichy’s fears they are still a team too often designed to leave with a point in the biggest games.

Arteta has been accused of being too conservative in big games (Picture: Getty Images)

‘Arsenal is coming to a place where the idea and identify of Arsene Wenger’s football is not seen much anymore,’ said Clichy, part of the infamous Invincibles squad after Wenger brought him to north London in 2003.

‘We don’t talk about how well Arsenal played these days, we talk about how difficult they are to break down or how impressive they are on set pieces. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fantastic and it’s part of the game you need to exploit but if we talk about what Arsenal used to be and what Arsenal is today, there’s nothing to compare anymore.

‘We have to accept the manager wants something different. And maybe with the wingers and striker we have, we see more of this old-school way.

Arsenal too often ‘not concerned about winning’ (Picture: Getty)

‘But we also have to tell it like it is – we have also maybe seen a lack of ambition from Arsenal as a club and from Mikel. When you look at that game against Liverpool, you can see a team that is not concerned about winning but a team excited not to lose a game. This is very subtle but this is a massive difference for a team that is competing for the title. So hopefully this will change with the players they have now.

‘Liverpool started the season very fragile, giving up opportunities. But Arsenal did not exploit that, they did not want to hear it. This is the part where Mikel needs to adjust.

‘Yes, you will win points, I have heard him saying how they are the team who have won the most points over the last three years. But you haven’t won anything. It is not a question about points, it is going to those places and getting the win.’

Gael Clichy was speaking on behalf of BetMGM. You could win over £30million today with BetMGM’s MGM Millions. BeGambleAware 18+ 

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