🔗 Share this article Man in the Mask Gyökeres Stifles ‘Invisible’ Taunts to Leave an Impression at Arsenal Should Viktor Gyökeres transforms into the striker that every Arsenal followers have been praying for, then maybe they will reflect on this night as the moment his fortune shifted. In keeping with the timeless attacker’s creed, it doesn’t matter how they go in. On the back of nine matches for Arsenal and Sweden without a goal and pressure mounting on the man signed for £64m in the offseason, a huge wave of relief engulfed the Emirates Stadium when Gyökeres tapped in from near distance via a ricochet off David Hancko during a electrifying second half when Mikel Arteta’s side proved yet again that they are serious contenders this season. Dramatic Turnaround in Luck Within moments and to the excitement of the home faithful, his Bane-inspired gesture modeled after the villain Bane in Batman, whose famous line is “I was ignored before the mask,” was showcased again after forcing home from Gabriel Magalhães’s header following a Declan Rice corner to complete the rout against Atlético Madrid. Down on the touchline, Arteta punched the air and motioned emphatically in the direction of his star striker, of whom he has spent the previous 14 days insisting the finest displays lay ahead. “This is football, and we must not assume a player to change contexts and have him replicate his form immediately,” the Arsenal manager stated in a discussion with the Spanish newspaper Marca prior to the match. “Circumstances vary greatly. All players in the world need one thing: their mental condition to be at its best. I advised Viktor in our initial discussion that the center forward I desired at Arsenal was someone who could hold up mentally when they faced a goal drought without scoring. Otherwise, you’re not suited at this level. That’s why I have a lot of faith in him.” Early Challenges When he was just 14 playing for IFK Aspudden-Tellus, who are based in Stockholm’s southern suburbs, that Gyökeres first understood he would have to develop a thick skin to make it in his vocation. Criticised after a poor performance by a coach who said he didn’t have the mentality to make it in professional play, he ended up being converted from a wide player into a striker after joining Brommapojkarna two years later. “Those words lingered and I recall it now,” he said in a recent interview. Challenging Spell Goal-shy since the victory against Nottingham Forest here back on 13 September, this has been one of the hardest times of his professional life. Gyökeres was sharply rebuked after Sweden were defeated by Kosovo and Switzerland in World Cup qualifiers in the last two weeks, with one newspaper describing his performance against the latter as “absent.” He recorded an incredible 54 goals in 52 appearances in all tournaments for Sporting last season, so the problem is obviously not his goal conversion. As Arteta has frequently pointed out, his complete game has given Arsenal an extra dimension in attack, even if the openings have not fallen his way. Game Analysis This was certainly in evidence during the opening period of this top-level clash between two teams that had at first appeared closely contested. There was a feeling that Gyökeres was trying too hard to make an impact as he charged around like a bull in a china shop during the beginning phase. An Eberechi Eze shot that deflected on to the bar inside the initial stages was created by some sharp footwork on the edge of the Atlético area that niftily took him away from his opponent, José María Giménez. The Uruguayan has the air of a man who could provoke conflict anywhere but is highly seasoned at this stage compared with Gyökeres, who is participating in just his second Champions League campaign after bagging a triple for Sporting against Manchester City last season that probably significantly contributed to persuading Arteta to take the plunge. Unyielding Drive Yet having attracted criticism that he was carrying a few too many pounds after being absent for preparations in Portugal, Arsenal’s much more svelte-looking striker pursued each opportunity as if his career hung in the balance. Giménez was fooled into conceding a caution when Gyökeres made contact on the edge of the Atlético area having simply held his position. Gabriel Martinelli saw his effort disallowed for offside after converting Bukayo Saka’s cross and it did not happen until later that the Swede had his initial opportunity. A exquisite touch from Martinelli created an ideal chance, only for Jan Oblak to quickly smother an weak effort towards goal. At that point it must have felt like the opening goal would not arrive. But the dam burst when Gabriel headed home Rice’s free-kick and Gyökeres was perfectly positioned to benefit as the man in the mask announced his presence. “With any luck this is the beginning of a great run,” said a delighted Arteta.