Viktor Gyokeres has scored just four Premier League goals this season (Photo: Getty)
Tony Cascarino believes that a surprise Arsenal star could play as a striker as Mikel Arteta attempts to find a permanent solution for the position.
Arsenal are having a great season, top of the Premier League and Champions League tables and through to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.
Their form has slumped of late though, winning just two of their last five league games, while Arteta has been dealing with an ever-growing injury crisis.
Fitness issues have plagued the team’s centre-forwards with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus missing nearly all of the season so far, while Viktor Gyokeres has also just returned from a muscle problem.
As a result, midfielder Mikel Merino has been used as a makeshift No.9 to good effect, recording seven goal contributions in the last eight games, but this form has also highlighted Gyokeres’ shortcomings.
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The £64million summer signing was meant to be the solution to Arsenal’s striker problem, but while his work off the ball has been good, he’s found the back of the net just six times in 18 appearances.
It remains to be seen who starts when the Gunners host bottom of the table Wolves on Saturday night, but Cascarino has suggested an alternative option should be given a chance to play up top.
Mikel Merino has been used as a makeshift striker to good effect – but is there a better alternative (Photo: Getty)
‘I wouldn’t say he’s had a difficult time. He just hasn’t hit the ground running as expected,’ the former Chelsea striker said of Gyokeres on talkSPORT.
‘He’s not going to get 25 goals this season. But I think over time he’ll gradually give a lot more to Arsenal. I think it’s going to be a slow burner for him.
‘No one’s nailed down the No.9 spot at Arsenal. We’ve had Havertz, Gabriel Jesus. Obviously, they’ll be available, Jesus has already come back into the team this week. It’s a nice problem for Mikel Arteta because anyone who hits form will get that position.
Noni Madueke has played on both wings throughout his career – but never as a centre-forward (Photo: Getty)
‘I’ll fire a spanner in the works here. I saw quite a lot of him at Chelsea, I actually think Noni Madueke could play centre-forward. He’s got all the qualities, that directness, sees the whites of the post, sees an opportunity to score a goal.
‘I think he’s got that in his locker. People might go that’s not an option, but I watch him play and I think he’s got so many things that are good of for a player to get goals.
‘So, from Merino to Havertz to Gabriel Jesus to Gyokeres, Arteta is going to have a lot of choice there. It’s finding the right blend, who fits in at a certain time.’
It’s crunch time for Arsenal
@metrosportuk
These next seven games could LOSE Arsenal the title 😮 Arsenal’s next Premier League fixtures against Wolves at home, Everton away, Brighton and Aston Villa at home, Bournemouth away, Liverpool at home, and Nottingham Forest away are CRUCIAL. And that’s because from these exact games last year, the Gunners dropped a total of 13 points, winning just one. #arsenal #premierleague #liverpool #titlerace #astonvilla
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Arsenal saw their lead at the top whittled down to just two points following last weekend’s defeat at Aston Villa. With Manchester City now looking far more like their old selves, suddenly the Premier League title race is starting to take a very familiar shape.
The Gunners next seven games could tell us a lot about whether they’re ready to go the distance this time given they dropped 13 points from the corresponding fixtures last season
Wolves (h) 2-0
Everton (a) 1-1
Brighton (h) 1-1
Aston Villa (h) 2-2
Bournemouth (a) 2-0
Liverpool (h) 2-2
Nottingham Forest (a) 0-0
Many fans were sceptical of Madueke’s £52m move from Chelsea last summer, but the winger has quickly won over the Emirates faithful, bagging a brace in the last match against Club Brugge.
The England international has been used on both flanks throughout his career but almost never in a central role. But given his good form, Arteta may be tempted to start him alongside, not instead of, the other top wingers like Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard.
‘It wasn’t just with his goals that Madueke made an impact – he did really well throughout the game and showed he is ready to do a job when he is called upon,’ former Chelsea striker Chris Sutton told said BBC Match of the Day after the Club Brugge win.
‘More and more, Madueke looks like a really smart signing. I already thought he was a loss to Chelsea, but you are seeing now he is back from injury that Arsenal can have Saka off that right side, or use Madueke. It bodes really well for them with such a busy period coming up.’
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