Arsenal star is on the way in which to being the brand new Van Persie & it isn’t Gyokeres

After discovering life quite difficult within the Basque Nation two weeks in the past, profitable 2-0 towards Athletic Membership, Arsenal as soon as once more had been made to work exhausting for his or her win within the Champions League.

Welcoming Olympiacos to the Emirates Stadium, assembly the Greek champions for the thirteenth time in 15 years, they had been a tough aspect to get the higher of, however like they did in Bilbao, Mikel Arteta‘s males obtained the job finished, 2-0 victors once more.

Whereas the Gunners struggled to create clear-cut alternatives to attain from within the second half, in reality, it was a recreation they may have gained by 4 or 5 targets.

Within the opening 45 minutes the Londoners had been electrical, scoring early by way of Gabriel Martinelli earlier than substitute Bukayo Saka rounded issues off late on.

Whereas not on the scoresheet, the most important constructive from the night time was undoubtedly the efficiency of skipper Martin Odegaard.

After struggling an ankle harm on worldwide obligation simply over a 12 months in the past, the Norwegian has seemed somewhat misplaced for type however was again to his finest in Europe on Wednesday, placing in a masterclass efficiency from the center of the park.

It was Odegaard who provided Saka’s objective and it was the membership captain who performed the ball in behind within the build-up to the opener.

To see him in full circulate once more is a pleasure, and he will likely be very important now as Arteta’s aspect purpose to go deep on this 12 months’s competitors. To this point they’ve six factors from six, however trickier ties await, notably Atletico Madrid in match week three.

Talking of Odegaard, Viktor Gyokeres could have little doubt been delighted he was again within the aspect.

Viktor Gyokeres’ efficiency in numbers vs Olympiacos

In all honesty, this has been a tough begin to life for the hulking Swede in north London.

At Sporting CP final season, he showcased his credentials by scoring 54 targets, three of which got here towards Manchester Metropolis on this very competitors.

But, in Arsenal colors, he isn’t been in a position to show the identical degree of clinicalness contained in the penalty space.

Gyokeres has scored thrice, two coming in a single recreation towards Leeds United, however there’s a sense that he must work on his closing motion.

He had six photographs towards Newcastle on Sunday however none of them felt too clear. The reality is that he is taking an excessive amount of time to get his efforts away.

That stated, the summer season arrival is enhancing. The actual fact he was so threatening final weekend is proof of that.

In opposition to Olympiacos, the 27-year-old maybe put in his finest non-scoring show for Arsenal but. Lastly afforded area in behind, he was unfortunate to not rating on just a few events.

His ahead play for the primary objective was chic. Odegaard fed the ball in behind and Gyokeres bulldozed his approach ahead, crashing previous two defenders after which getting a shot away that got here off the put up.

Happily, Martinelli was prepared and ready to faucet the rebound into an empty internet.

Gyokeres was a keen runner for a lot of the sport and was discovered with nice regularity by an in-form Odegaard. You’ll be able to inform the chemistry between Arsenal’s chief creators and their new striker is certainly enhancing.

It is exhausting to guage him an excessive amount of to this point. Visits to Previous Trafford, Anfield and St James Park’ have traditionally been difficult and with simpler fixtures to come back, the Swedish celebrity appears like he is rising in confidence at simply the correct time.

Whether or not he goes on to duplicate a few of Arsenal’s nice strikers of the previous stays to be seen. He bears the quantity 14, famously worn by Thierry Henry and later, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

No Gunners striker has lifted the Premier League for the reason that days of Henry, not even the likes of Robin van Persie or Auba. Maybe now would be the 12 months they lastly achieve this.

To face any likelihood of that, not solely will they want Odegaard and Gyokeres in prime type, however they can even have to discover a option to get extra out of their future Van Persie.

Arteta could possibly be brewing the following Van Persie at Arsenal

The scorer of 30-plus targets in a single marketing campaign throughout the Arsene Wenger period, Van Persie was a menacing centre-forward and Gyokeres will little doubt hope to emulate him.

Nonetheless, one participant who already appears able to emulate the nice Dutchman is Martinelli.

The Brazilian has endured a sticky few years. In 2022/23, he ended the time period because the membership’s joint-top scorer alongside Saka and Odegaard, however he has not replicated that since.

Whereas he nonetheless appears a tad timid in 2025/26, he’s discovering his toes as soon as extra, even with restricted recreation time.

Martinelli’s begin on Wednesday night was simply his fourth of the season so far however he greater than made it rely, scoring the primary objective of the sport.

The 24-year-old is definitely a person in type having scored three in his final 4, a very powerful of which got here towards Manchester Metropolis, delicately lobbing Gianluigi Donnarumma within the Residents’ internet with barely minutes remaining.

All of his targets this season have to this point come from central areas and that is the place the Brazilian might grow to be a drive within the years to come back.

For years, Martinelli has been a large ahead. These 15 targets in 2022/23 got here from the left flank, however there’s a striker ready to be unleashed. His document as an out-and-out centre-forward is best than in some other place, albeit that’s from a small pattern dimension.

Having netted 9 targets in 16 matches, the proof is there. He is a really threatening striker. He is obtained tempo and he is obtained the flexibility to run in behind. The objective in Bilbao just a few weeks in the past confirmed no defender is fast sufficient to maintain up with him and that objective towards Metropolis got here courtesy of one other run in behind the defence from a central place.

Curiously, it was as a central attacker the place Unai Emery obtained lots of pleasure from Martinelli, too. Throughout his debut 12 months in England, 2019/20, he discovered the web on seven events in 9 matches as a centre ahead.

So, why the comparability to Van Persie? Effectively, when the Netherlands icon first signed for Arsenal, he did in order a large participant. Like Martinelli, he was historically a left winger.

That stated, the plan for Wenger was all the time to remodel him right into a striker and he did simply that, to nice success too.

Whereas Van Persie could not have had the tempo of Martinelli, his ending potential was exceptional. At Arsenal, the Flying Dutchman registered 132 targets in 278 matches, cementing himself as one of many best gamers to don the well-known shirt. It was a fantastic success story for Wenger.

Now, in 2025, Arteta should take a leaf out of the Frenchman’s guide. The Brazil worldwide could properly have been fielded on the wing on Wednesday night time, however he appears extra at dwelling centrally, simply as Van Persie did.

After the arrivals of Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke this summer season, Arsenal’s quantity 11 was all the time going to seek out it difficult to get common begins, however with Kai Havertz out and Gyokeres nonetheless getting in control, maybe the ahead might revive his profession by completely transferring to the striker function.