Viktor Gyokeres said Arsenal failed to control the game well enough in the 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth, but insisted the squad still believe they can respond in the decisive weeks ahead.
Viktor Gyokeres admitted Arsenal “made it difficult for ourselves” in the 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth, with the striker acknowledging that Mikel Arteta’s side were below their best in both halves of a costly result at the Emirates.
Speaking to TNT Sports after the game, Gyokeres gave a blunt assessment of the performance. “I think we could have played much better in both halves, really,” he said. “We didn’t control the game well enough.” He added that Bournemouth were always likely to punish that lack of control, saying: “They’re a good side, so when they get some chances, they will make it difficult for us.”
It was a revealing reaction from Arsenal’s scorer on the day, particularly because it cut quickly to the core of the problem. Arsenal had moments in the match, but never looked fully in command, and Gyokeres did not try to disguise that. He also pointed to the attacking side of the performance, saying Arsenal needed to “create more” in the final third.
Asked whether the display had felt disjointed, the Sweden international suggested the issue was not a lack of preparation but what happened once the game got going. “We had a good feeling before the game, and then during the game, we were ready for everything,” he said. “But then they made it difficult for us, and I think we made it difficult for ourselves during the game, so that’s why the end result is what it is.”
That line will stand out because it speaks to a wider concern around Arsenal’s recent form. Bournemouth became the latest side to exploit moments of uncertainty, and Gyokeres’ words suggested the players were well aware that too much of the damage had been self-inflicted.
He did, however, strike a more defiant tone when the conversation turned to what comes next. Arsenal now face a significant second leg against Sporting and then a huge league meeting with Manchester City, but Gyokeres insisted the squad’s belief has not shifted. “We have a lot of games still to play, and we know how good we are,” he said. “We just have to show it on the pitch, get back in that rhythm that we can play in, and believe in ourselves.”
There was no attempt to downplay the scale of the next few days either. Asked whether the Sporting and City matches represented the biggest week of the season so far, Gyokeres replied: “I think we had a lot of big games recently, and I think they will be very big as well.”
For Arsenal, then, the message from Gyokeres was clear. The Bournemouth defeat hurt, and the performance was not good enough. But with major games still to come, the striker’s view is that the answer lies in recovering their level quickly rather than doubting it.