Viktor Gyökeres may have been given only 25 minutes to impress against Nottingham Forest, but his cameo offered Arsenal an encouraging reminder of what they could be missing when he is left on the bench.

Although Arsenal struggled to break down Forest for much of their narrow 1-0 victory, the Swedish striker brought a different dimension to their attacking play, particularly through his physical presence and improved hold-up play.

Rather than simply waiting for chances inside the penalty area, Gyökeres gave the defenders another problem to deal with by competing for the ball, holding off pressure and helping his teammates move higher up the pitch.

That contribution matters because Arsenal have sometimes looked predictable when opponents sit deep, defend their penalty area and force the Gunners to rely on crosses or individual moments of brilliance.

Against Forest, the home side could not afford to ignore Gyökeres whenever Arsenal played forward, as allowing him time to control the ball and bring others into play risked giving the visitors a foothold in dangerous areas.

His physical presence also made it harder for Forest to commit too many players forward without considering the danger of Arsenal quickly turning possession into an attack.

For a team that wants to control matches, this is an important quality in a centre-forward, because keeping the ball under pressure can help relieve defensive pressure and allow midfielders to regain their positions.

Gyökeres has faced questions over his integration into Arsenal’s attacking system, with concerns about how consistently he gets involved and whether the team is making the most of his strengths.

However, his performance against Forest suggested that his contribution should not be judged exclusively by goals, particularly when he is asked to influence a match during a short substitute appearance.

There is still work to do, and a promising cameo does not automatically mean he should start every game, but it gives Mikel Arteta another reason to examine how best to use him.

Kai Havertz offers different qualities, including his movement and ability to link attacks, so the decision should ultimately depend on the opponent, Arsenal’s tactical needs and the condition of both forwards.

Against compact defences, though, Gyökeres’ ability to occupy centre-backs, protect possession and make Arsenal more difficult to defend could prove particularly valuable.

Arteta’s challenge is to ensure that Arsenal get the best out of a striker whose physical attributes can offer something different from the team’s other attacking options.

If Gyökeres can build on this performance and combine his improved link-up play with a more consistent goal threat, his case for more starting opportunities will become increasingly difficult to ignore.

The question now is whether Arteta will reward that progress with a bigger role, or continue using the Swedish striker primarily as an option from the bench.

Sources: [The Guardian — Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal match report](https://www.theguardian.com/football/live/2026/oct/18/nottingham-forest-v-arsenal-premier-league-live?utm_source=chatgpt.com)