Alan Shearer has backed Viktor Gyokeres to score ‘a shed load of goals’ this season but insists his Arsenal teammates need to provide him with early service.
Gyokeres struggled to make an impact in the first half of Arsenal’s Premier League 3-0 win against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
But the 27-year-old found the net just one minute after the restart as he got on the end of Eberechi Eze’s low cross to score from close range.
Gyokeres has now scored three goals in the Premier League this season but Shearer believes Arsenal’s £64 million summer signing will only benefit if Mikel Arteta’s side speed up their play.
‘I think to get the best out of him he’s going to need early balls into the box,’ Shearer told Premier League Productions.
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‘I highlighted at half time when they have too many touches perhaps, this [Eze’s assist] is a great example of not doing that.
‘It’s a wonderful ball over the top but the hardest part is for the winger to put that on a plate for Gyokeres, first time ball, early ball, that’s exactly what he demands.
‘If Arsenal continue to do that… they still didn’t get the balance right as I said at half time, but I thought it was a little bit better in the second half when Calafiori whipped one or two early balls in.
‘He’ll get a shed load of goals if they keep on getting balls into the box early.’
When analysing Gyokeres’ performance at half time, Shearer said: ‘There’s no need for him to come short, he’s not going to score that many goals if he keeps doing that.
‘In his defence, you’ve also got to think how many touches Madueke takes. Sometimes as a forward you need an early ball.
‘As I said, the balance is not taking away what the wingers are good at, but then there’s a lack of movement.
‘This is the understanding, knowing when and how the ball can come in. If you know that and you’ve got a great understanding of who you are playing with, you can make your run early knowing that ball is coming in. At the minute they still trying to work that balance out between what’s best for the winger and what’s best for the centre forward.’
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