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Stopping Viktor Gyökeres was arguably nan top situation successful Portuguese shot complete nan past 2 seasons. Every clip nan caller Arsenal striker stepped connected to nan pitch, defenders, goalkeepers and managers braced for 90 relentless minutes. Across his 2 years astatine Sporting, he scored 68 goals successful 66 convention appearances – and added different 29 successful different competitions. But what is it really for illustration to look nan Swedish forward? And really tin Premier League teams dream to incorporate him?
For Kewin Silva, nan sanction stirs up difficult memories. In April, nan past Moreirense goalkeeper was forced to food nan shot retired of his nett 3 times during 1 of Gyökeres’s standout performances for Sporting. Earlier successful nan season, nan humble bluish nine had stunned nan Lisbon giants pinch a 2–1 location win. Gyökeres did people from nan punishment spot that day, but Moreirense’s defence managed to support him quiet otherwise. In nan return fixture, however, pinch nan title title intensifying, thing could extremity him.
“I don’t person nan champion of memories from him – he scored successful astir of nan games,” nan Brazilian goalkeeper says pinch a chuckle. “We were afloat alert of his individual quality. Because of that, we knew we had to beryllium other cautious, particularly successful position of screen erstwhile he managed to break free. We’d often person to foul him conscionable to slow him down.”
Describing Gyökeres almost for illustration a recurring nightmare, Kewin vividly recalls immoderate moments that showcased nan striker’s brilliance. “I retrieve successful 1 match, he dribbled past my centre-back adjacent nan separator of nan container and took a toe-poke shot,” he says. “It was really powerful, but I managed to prevention it. He’s that benignant of complete subordinate – capable to decorativeness from anywhere, publication nan crippled intelligently and springiness extent by holding up play.”
How to extremity him: nan tactical breakdown
Carlos Carvalhal, nan erstwhile head of Swansea City and Sheffield Wednesday, was astatine nan helm of Braga past season. His squad were 1 of nan fewer to return points disconnected Sporting successful nan run-in, earning a hard-fought tie successful Lisbon. Gyökeres opened nan scoring early, but was efficaciously unopen down for nan remainder of nan match. So what tin Premier League teams study from that performance?
“He has a preferred activity – drifting from nan centre retired to nan near wing,” Carvalhal says. “To neutralise that, we focused connected maintaining equilibrium connected our correct broadside – their left. Sporting would effort to tie our right-back retired of position to create abstraction for Gyökeres. So we trained our right-back specifically to debar being lured out. That way, Gyökeres ever had to woody pinch him directly. As a result, we didn’t let him galore clear chances.”
That wasn’t nan only key, but Carvalhal says it was nan astir captious tactical element. Corners and different group pieces tin besides beryllium a peculiar challenge. Although Gyökeres scored only 5 goals pinch his caput for Sporting, Carvalhal says: “He is simply a very beardown subordinate successful nan area whenever location is simply a cross. We played pinch a very finely tuned sectorial tactic, keeping nan 4 defenders really adjacent together truthful he didn’t person space. It turned retired well.”
Carvalhal besides highlights really Gyokeres has grown during his time astatine Sporting, processing into a much complete forward. “If Arsenal are leading, he’ll utilization nan unfastened spaces. If not … well, I judge he’s improved a batch successful position of link-up play. Arsenal don’t conscionable play wide; they besides conception done nan middle. Right now, he’s overmuch amended suited to their style than erstwhile he first arrived successful Portugal. Back then, he was each astir gait and power. He’s since refined his crippled considerably.”
‘One subordinate connected him astatine each times’
Gyökeres built a estimation for tearing done defences. Rúben Fernandes, nan erstwhile skipper of Gil Vicente, was 1 of nan players tasked pinch shadowing him. He remembers pinch pridefulness nan nighttime his squad kept a cleanable expanse against Sporting – 1 of nan uncommon occasions that season. The match, played successful December 2024 successful Barcelos, ended 0-0.
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“We trained nan full week to make judge Gyökeres didn’t person abstraction and to forestall Sporting’s vulnerable attacks,” he says. There were “two aliases 3 players” specially assigned to make judge nan guardant didn’t person his way. “He was 1 of nan astir vulnerable players; it’s normal he has astatine slightest 1 subordinate connected apical of him astatine each times,” he says.
After nan match, nan dressing room was filled pinch pride. The tie felt for illustration a triumph against nan champions. “We felt for illustration we’d completed our mission,” Fernandes says pinch a grin. “He was scoring successful astir each game. So for america to unopen him down – that’s thing each nan players, particularly nan defence, could beryllium proud of.”
Asked what proposal he’d springiness to Premier League defenders, Fernandes acknowledges that things whitethorn beryllium tougher for Gyökeres now. “Players successful England are much beingness and utilized to his power. What tips tin I springiness them? Never time off him alone, ever person players astir him.”
The connection from Portugal is clear: Gyökeres tin beryllium stopped – but ne'er easily. Arsenal fans dream his champion is ahead, arsenic a much complete and vulnerable type of nan subordinate who hardly sewage a look successful during his clip astatine Brighton from 2018-21 and has played successful nan Championship pinch Swansea and Coventry steps connected to nan Premier League stage. For defenders crossed England, his presence should beryllium a informing sign.
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