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Troy Deeney makes bold Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres prediction after opening Arsenal win
Troy Deeney believes that Kai Havertz will start more games for Arsenal than Viktor Gyokeres this season. The Gunners beat Manchester United 1-0 on the opening weekend at Old Trafford, and Gyokeres was handed his debut. It wasn’t a great debut for GyokeresGetty The Swede completed a big-money move from Sporting Lisbon to north London in the summer having scored nearly 100 goals in Portugal. He lasted 60 minutes on Sunday before Havertz replaced the former Coventry City forward. Gyokeres didn’t register a shot or create a chance during his time on the pitch where he looked a bit rusty. Of course, it is very early days and you would expect that sharpness to appear in his game soon. But even if it does, Deeney thinks Mikel Arteta will choose Havertz over him more often. Speaking on Hawksbee and Jacobs, he said: “Gyokeres, for me, isn’t the answer. I know he’s only one game in, and people will say he’s rusty, but if you look at his movement, the way he was running… “There was an incident when he went through and stood on the ball. “I think you are going to see Havertz start more games than Gyokeres over the course of the season.” Certainly, it wasn’t a stellar display from Gyokeres, but Arsenal weren’t at their best either. Deeney added: “It would be hard-pressed for any Arsenal fan to say they were the better team. “I just think Arsenal were what you expected. Big, strong, organised. Still a bit rusty in terms of that fluidity in the midfield.” Havertz has been working in the gym this summer and will compete with Gyokeres for a place leading the lineGetty What to make of Gyokeres? Deeney wasn’t the only talkSPORT pundit not impressed by Gyokeres, with Alan Pardew having his say during the game. Speaking on The Final Word, the ex-Newcastle United manager said of Gyokeres’ performance: “Well, poor. I think you can’t gloss it up any more than that. “He looked not quite at it, whether he was nervous or or whatever… it didn’t look what I was expecting because I’m a big fan of his. I was expecting a little bit more from him today. “And I think at 60 minutes to get subbed was you know, what I would have expected with this performance. “Maybe he felt he should have had a little bit longer, but no that wasn’t the best. I’m surprised.” Arsenal sealed a huge win, but there were plenty of things to work onGetty However, Arteta felt as if his teammates let Gyokeres down. Though, he admitted there need to be improvements from the Swede. Speaking in his post-match press conference, the Spaniard said: “I think there are seven, eight situations when the ball is completely open to play through and we are in and attacking the keeper. We give the ball away and then it becomes a basketball game.” Specifically on Gyokeres, he added: “Well, he did a lot of things very good. “You can tell especially in our high press and rhythm that we demand, that especially in the first half we were giving a bit too much time. “It is something that we have to work on him, especially there. Then in the final action situation, he did not have that many chances to do that, because in the previous action, we had to play that last ball and the last was standing still with 40 metres to play. “We did not manage to put the ball through to exploit his quality. “But overall, coming away to Man United, winning your first game with Arsenal, is a good start.” Next up for Arsenal is a home game against Leeds, and it remains to be seen who leads the line.
Troy Deeney believes that Kai Havertz will start more games for Arsenal than Viktor Gyokeres this season.
The Gunners beat Manchester United 1-0 on the opening weekend at Old Trafford, and Gyokeres was handed his debut.
The Swede completed a big-money move from Sporting Lisbon to north London in the summer having scored nearly 100 goals in Portugal.
He lasted 60 minutes on Sunday before Havertz replaced the former Coventry City forward.
Gyokeres didn’t register a shot or create a chance during his time on the pitch where he looked a bit rusty.
Of course, it is very early days and you would expect that sharpness to appear in his game soon.
But even if it does, Deeney thinks Mikel Arteta will choose Havertz over him more often.
Speaking on Hawksbee and Jacobs, he said: “Gyokeres, for me, isn’t the answer. I know he’s only one game in, and people will say he’s rusty, but if you look at his movement, the way he was running…
“There was an incident when he went through and stood on the ball.
“I think you are going to see Havertz start more games than Gyokeres over the course of the season.”
Certainly, it wasn’t a stellar display from Gyokeres, but Arsenal weren’t at their best either.
Deeney added: “It would be hard-pressed for any Arsenal fan to say they were the better team.
“I just think Arsenal were what you expected. Big, strong, organised. Still a bit rusty in terms of that fluidity in the midfield.”
What to make of Gyokeres?
Deeney wasn’t the only talkSPORT pundit not impressed by Gyokeres, with Alan Pardew having his say during the game.
Speaking on The Final Word, the ex-Newcastle United manager said of Gyokeres’ performance: “Well, poor. I think you can’t gloss it up any more than that.
“He looked not quite at it, whether he was nervous or or whatever… it didn’t look what I was expecting because I’m a big fan of his. I was expecting a little bit more from him today.
“And I think at 60 minutes to get subbed was you know, what I would have expected with this performance.
“Maybe he felt he should have had a little bit longer, but no that wasn’t the best. I’m surprised.”
However, Arteta felt as if his teammates let Gyokeres down.
Though, he admitted there need to be improvements from the Swede.
Speaking in his post-match press conference, the Spaniard said: “I think there are seven, eight situations when the ball is completely open to play through and we are in and attacking the keeper. We give the ball away and then it becomes a basketball game.”
Specifically on Gyokeres, he added: “Well, he did a lot of things very good.
“You can tell especially in our high press and rhythm that we demand, that especially in the first half we were giving a bit too much time.
“It is something that we have to work on him, especially there. Then in the final action situation, he did not have that many chances to do that, because in the previous action, we had to play that last ball and the last was standing still with 40 metres to play.
“We did not manage to put the ball through to exploit his quality.
“But overall, coming away to Man United, winning your first game with Arsenal, is a good start.”
Next up for Arsenal is a home game against Leeds, and it remains to be seen who leads the line.
