VIKTOR GYOKERES has been feeding off scraps for much of this season.
But that things may be about to change.
Gyokeres, 28, scored what turned out to be the winning goal as maintained their unbeaten start to this season’s with .
had put them ahead after nine minutes, before Gyokeres doubled their advantage before the break.
A late goal from Wiktor Nowak gave the Czech side something to cheer about after a sloppy second half that angered .
The Arsenal boss was delighted with Gyokeres, however, and he had every right to be.
The Swede took his goal incredibly well – bending the ball home off the post – but even more impressive was his link-up play.
Arteta said: “He was really connected to the team.
“He did that really well, understood really well when to appear, when to threaten, because they leave people, they follow man-to-man in the midfield and leave spaces there.
“So when I said he was really connected to the team, that was another example. It’s really great news for him, because he really needed that performance.”
Gyokeres scored 21 goals for Arsenal last season, but he has struggled to get going during the current campaign.
Far too often, he has been a passenger in games.
But on this occasion, the striker was at the heart of Arsenal’s best attacking moments.
It was Gyokeres’ hooked pass that set Madueke away for the opener and he now has three assists in his past five games.
That ability to connect the play has always been a weakness for the Swede – and a key reason why Arteta favours for the biggest games.
The German may lack the finishing ability of Gyokeres, but he makes those around him better with his movement and passing.
Arsenal’s win in Prague, however, offered some hope of a turning point.
Gyokeres had 29 touches – the most he has managed in any game this season.
He also completed 17 passess, which was again a best for him this term.
To put that in context, Gyokeres had more touches and managed more passes in Prague than in his first three appearances of the season combined.
The Swede said: “This comes with the longer you get to know the players.
“You play more with them and you know more where they are on the pitch, and what kind of qualities they have.
“Then those kinds of contributions come. It’s nice to score – and sometimes it’s nice to assist as well.”
Arteta often talks about things “clicking” for players when it comes to playing in his systems.
And time will tell whether Prague really was that for Gyokeres, or if it was a case of him profiting from a poor Slavia side.
The Czech side’s winless run in the Champions League is now at 23 games.
The last time they had a victory in the competition was 2007, when Arteta was 25 years old and playing for .
But Gyokeres can point to the fact that it was exactly around this time last season that he began to find his feet.
The striker put in a great performance during 2-0 win at before suffering a hamstring injury.
That kept him out for four weeks, and it was not until around March time that he truly began to fire again.
Confidence has always felt key for Gyokeres and, now he has it, Arteta may well be tempted to start him on Saturday when Arsenal host Hull.
Gunners goalkeeper said: “He is a very difficult player to come up against.
“He is a top goalscorer. He makes it very difficult for goalkeepers. And he got an assist for the second goal, so I am really pleased for him.
“It is going to give him a lot of confidence. We are really, really happy for him.
“Obviously it is not easy not playing, and not playing the minutes that you want. But we have a very, very good squad – where everybody is available now – and this performance is going to be really good for him.”
