Merson: Arsenal Squad Lacks Faith in Gyokeres, Never Give Him the Ball

Paul Merson has launched a curious critique of Arsenal's squad dynamics, suggesting that Viktor Gyokeres is struggling to earn the confidence of his teammates on the pitch.

The Gunners legend reckons there's a fundamental trust issue at play, with teammates actively avoiding the ball when the striker drops deep to receive it. Despite Gyokeres sitting atop Arsenal's goalscoring charts with 11 goals across all competitions since his arrival from Sporting CP in a deal worth around £64m, Merson believes something isn't quite clicking.

Speaking on The Overlap, Merson outlined his observations: "Arsenal don't trust him and the players never pass to him. Watch him next time—he comes short and they go no. When I watch the game, he comes short and they don't give it to him. I don't think they trust him at all."

The comments come as Arsenal maintain a six-point lead at the summit of the Premier League ahead of Manchester City. There's been mounting criticism of Gyokeres' overall contribution to the league leaders' play, particularly in the top flight where his output hasn't matched expectations.

Yet Merson remains bullish about Arsenal's title prospects. Having finished runners-up in the Premier League for three consecutive seasons, he believes this is finally the year the Gunners claim the crown.

"I love Arsenal. Arsenal are in my heart but Chelsea's in my blood. Chelsea isn't winning the league," Merson declared. "I want Arsenal to win the league this season and Arsenal will win the league this season."

The former striker has also turned his attention to England's World Cup preparations this summer, suggesting Gareth Southgate might consider a more direct approach against certain opponents. Merson advocates for deploying two strikers in tandem, specifically naming Ollie Watkins and Harry Kane as a potent pairing.

"I think we're in a position where it might be better sometimes just to play two up front with Watkins and Kane, or go an extra man in midfield, keep the ball and try to draw teams out," Merson explained. "Maybe another midfielder or centre forward where you're enticing teams out. I would play Foden out there because he's got that guile—he's going to come inside."

Merson has also reflected on his time as a pundit, admitting he's reached out to apologise to two players following his appearances on Soccer Saturday. He contacted Harry Maguire after his Manchester United transfer, a move Merson felt compelled to criticise at length.

"I thought it was a bad signing. I didn't think he could play on the halfway line and I stick by that," Merson said. "I felt like I carried on and on, and when I came away from the show I thought to myself you're out of order. It didn't feel good."

The second apology came after covering an Arsenal-Tottenham fixture last season. Merson singled out James Maddison for criticism, feeling he hadn't done enough to influence proceedings despite his attacking midfield role.

"He played in my position, and I think Scholes said it earlier—when you're playing at 10 you've got to affect a football match. It doesn't matter how bad the team are playing," Merson reflected. "He didn't do that, and I felt I was out of line."