Viktor Gyokeres critics ‘don’t have a clue’ – Sweden boss defends striker’s start to Arsenal career
Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres received backing from his national team coach.
Sweden boss Jon Dahl Tomasson has staunchly defended Viktor Gyokeres and the start he has made at Arsenal, claiming his critics “don’t have a clue about football”.
Gyokeres arrived at Arsenal in July in a deal that could rise to be worth £63.5million following a stellar spell at Sporting Lisbon.
However, Gyokeres has scored just three goals in 10 games so far for the Gunners. He scored twice in a 5-0 demolition of Leeds United in August, but has not found the net since a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest on September 13.
It will be over a month since his last Arsenal goal by the time Gyokeres returns from the international break.
However, Tomasson emphatically dismissed criticism of his goalscoring record for Mikel Arteta’s Premier League leaders.
Tomasson defends Gyokeres
“Viktor Gyökeres is in very good form at the moment and is very good,” Tomasson said.
“If people say he doesn’t have an impact, then they don’t understand football and don’t have a clue about football.
“He creates space for other players, works on the ball and makes runs. It’s excellent and he scores goals almost all the time, so he has an impact and has been very good. It’s always nice, as you need time when you come to a new club.”
Gyokeres will attempt to repay Tomasson for his support in a crucial round of World Cup qualifiers in which Sweden host Switzerland before facing Kosovo away.
Sweden drew with Slovenia before suffering a shock home defeat to Kosovo in the previous round of qualifiers to seriously dent their chances of reaching next year’s World Cup finals. They are five points behind Group B leaders Switzerland and two behind Kosovo with four games to play.