Arsenal are top of the Premier League, six points clear, and closer than ever to ending a 22-year wait for the title. On paper, this should be a moment of joy and confidence. Yet inside the Emirates Stadium, the mood tells a different story. There is belief, yes, but also fear. A familiar fear shaped by past collapses when the prize was within reach.
At the center of this unease is Viktor Gyokeres. The striker arrived in July with big expectations and a £54.8million price tag. He was meant to be the final piece of Mikel Arteta’s title puzzle. Instead, months later, doubts are growing louder with every passing game.
Economists call it the “sunk cost fallacy.” It is the idea that once you have invested heavily in something, you feel unable to walk away from it, even when it is clearly not working. Football managers face this problem too, and right now, Arteta is staring straight at it.
The truth is uncomfortable but simple. Gyokeres is not delivering, and there is little evidence to suggest that he suddenly will. The longer Arsenal persist, the greater the risk of throwing away a title that looks theirs to lose.
Against Liverpool in the recent 0-0 draw, the problem was exposed again. Gyokeres played 64 minutes as the central striker for the league leaders. In that time, he touched the ball just eight times. Eight. For a team chasing goals and control, that number tells its own story.
This was not an isolated incident. It was another piece of evidence that Gyokeres has been lifted beyond his true level. In the Premier League, space is tight, defenders are ruthless, and chances must be taken quickly. So far, he has struggled to cope.
Gyokeres arrived with a glowing reputation after scoring 39 league goals for Sporting last season, 48 in all competitions. At 27 years old, with experience at Brighton and Coventry, he seemed ready for the biggest stage. Arsenal believed they were buying a striker entering his prime.
But context matters. Only two of those 39 league goals came against Portugal’s other top-five teams. Much of his success came against weaker opposition. To many observers, he was a flat-track bully rather than a striker proven at the highest level.
In the Premier League, those concerns have become reality. In 19 appearances, Gyokeres has scored five goals. Only three of those have come from open play. He has taken just 31 shots all season, with only 11 on target. For a title-chasing side, those numbers are alarming.
Even more worrying is what the eye test shows. His movement lacks sharpness and penetration. Runs into dangerous spaces are rare. At times, it even appears that his teammates hesitate before passing to him, unsure he will make the right movement or finish the chance.
Arteta may argue that injuries have limited his options. Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have both spent long spells unavailable. Jesus and Mikel Merino, used out of position up front last season, average roughly one goal in four games. Havertz, at his best, scores once every three matches.
But that is exactly why bold action is needed now. The January transfer window offers a chance not just to improve the squad, but to lift the belief of the players and the fans. A decisive move could turn nervous energy into unstoppable momentum.
Inside the Emirates, the noise can be deceiving. The loud chants, the swagger, the sarcastic cries of “set-piece again” when another corner drops in, all hide deeper insecurities. Arsenal fans have been here before, and the scars remain.
They are like the Wizard of Oz, projecting confidence and power to mask doubt. Pull back the curtain, as Liverpool did in that tense second half, and the fear is clear. Supporters are already imagining a repeat of past failures.
They know Gyokeres’ limits. They can see that the jump from the Primeira Liga to the world’s toughest league is a step too far for him. And they fear that this weakness could undo everything else that Arsenal have built so well.
Those fears grow stronger when they look at the competition. When the title race reaches its boiling point, especially with the April 19 trip to the Etihad looming large, Manchester City will likely rely on Erling Haaland. History suggests he will deliver when it matters most.
A top striker does more than score goals. He creates fear. He forces defenders to drop deeper. He opens space for midfield runners and wide players. Opponents change their entire game plan to stop him.
Right now, with Gyokeres leading the line, Arsenal do not have that effect. Despite a squad that looks strong in almost every other position, there is little reason for rivals to fear the spearhead.
Fans can chant “Buy a f***ing striker!” all they want, as they often do, but making the deal is far harder. Gyokeres was supposed to end that debate. Yet there have always been whispers that Arteta preferred another option, with suspicions he believed Benjamin Sesko was the better fit.
Time is running out to correct the mistake. Great managers are not defined by never being wrong. They are defined by how quickly they recognize an error and act decisively.
Despite everything, there is still only one team that can stop Arsenal from winning their first title in 22 years. Unfortunately for them, that team is Arsenal themselves.
The message is clear. Make the brave call now. Cash in the Gyokeres chips, bring in an upgrade, and remove the biggest doubt hanging over this squad.
Do that, and Arsenal can finally fulfill their destiny. Delay, and history may repeat itself once again.
