Welcome to The Radar. Nick Wright’s Sky Sports column combines data and opinion to highlight must-know stories from the top and bottom of the Premier League. this week:
🔴 Is Arsenal better than Gokeres?
💪 Miley’s versatility at Newcastle
🔍 Players to watch this weekend
How should Arteta use his striker?
Arsenal’s win over Inter Milan saw Gabriel Jesus and Victor Gokeres appear to have given Mikel Arteta a selection dilemma against Manchester United. But what if their scoring record actually proved their suitability for the role that night?
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Thierry Henry gives his verdict on Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal’s season so far on Monday Night Football
Arsenal looked more fluid in attack with Jesus starting up front. The flurry of passes that led to the opening goal were unlike anything Mikel Arteta’s side have seen this season, and included a deft lay-off from Jesus to Mikel Merino before an instinctive finish.
Jesus continued to build things up, pulling wide to link up with Arsenal’s wide players, creating space for Eberechi Eze, feeding his team-mates with his back to goal, and at one point driving forward with the ball to play through Bukayo Saka.
His performance, in just his third start this season, was reminiscent of his shocking performance after joining from Manchester City in 2022, before suffering the first of a string of injuries.
Of course, there were also set-piece goals. It was his second goal, which he nodded over the line from a corner kick. But it was in open play that his influence was most evident. Arsenal looked like a different proposition thanks to the striker’s imagination and technical safety.
Gabriel Jesus scored twice in Arsenal’s 3-1 win over Inter Milan
Those are qualities that Gokeres lack. However, coming on as a substitute with Inter chasing an equaliser, he was able to show what he is capable of, and just before the end of the first half, he attacked the space and found the ball from Gabriel Martinelli in behind for a brilliant goal.
It was a goal Jesus probably wouldn’t have scored. Like Jesús’s opening goal, it was also a goal that Goqueres probably wouldn’t have been able to score, due to the complicated interaction that preceded it.
Sunday, January 25th 4:25pm
4:30pm kickoff
The first half of the season exposed the limits of Gokeres’ play. But it is also true that in the Premier League, where space is at a premium and compactness is valued, the conditions that he found for Tuesday’s goal were rarely available.
Moments where opponents get nervous tend to occur late in the game, when they are tired, and often when they are chasing a goal. By that point, Gokeres had started all but three of the 20 Premier League games so far, and was mostly a substitute.
Arteta’s hands were at least to some extent unreasonable. Due to injuries to Jesus and Kai Havertz, Jokeres was the only available striker for most of the season. However, the Arsenal manager now has the option and clear need to change his role.
Arsenal have won 13 of their 17 league games with Gokeres in the starting lineup, largely due to their reliance on set-pieces. They have only scored 13 open play goals in those 17 games, compared to 10 in the other five games. There is also a difference in the number of expected open play goals.
It’s no coincidence that many of Arsenal’s best and most fluent attacking performances against Bayern Munich, Tottenham and now Inter Milan this season have come when Arteta has started Mikel Merino or Jesus in the number nine role against Goqueres.
Like Havertz, they bring so much more to the role. More touches, more passes, the ability to win more duels and, perhaps most damningly, more goals. Erling Haaland proved that the volume of low touches is not necessarily a problem for strikers. But only if that striker is scoring.
Gökeres has not scored a non-penalty goal in the Premier League since November 1, which he has not done at all. In the 17 games he has started up front in this competition, he has had the lowest shooting percentage of any player competing for Arsenal’s number nine spot.
However, that does not mean Gokeres is of no use to Arteta. His role may need to be readjusted.
At £64m, it is safe to assume he was not signed as a replacement. But it’s certainly better to use him in a way that allows him to be most effective as a relentless runner against a tiring defense than to wait for him to become something he’s not.
Victor Gokeres has scored 5 goals in 20 Premier League appearances.
Of course, things might have been different if Havertz had been able to share minutes up front, rather than joining Jesus in August due to a knee injury. Gökeres might have been a better fit with a lighter workload and more appearances off the bench.
That would have made life easier for Arteta.
Havertz’s finishing was a source of frustration for Arsenal supporters during his time at the club. However, while the signing of Gokeres was intended to add more cutting-edge technology, Havertz is clearly the first choice for the position should he become available.
It’s worth noting that at the time last season’s season was suspended due to a groin injury, Havertz was on track for the best scoring season of his club career, scoring 15 goals.
Kai Havertz has played in 31 Premier League games as Arsenal’s striker, contributing 24 goals.
He has started a total of 31 Premier League games as a forward for Arsenal, contributing to 24 goals and contributing 15 goals and nine assists. And that’s on top of everything else he brings to the role.
These are very impressive figures and highlight the potential importance of a return to fitness, which has frustratingly taken longer than expected for Arsenal. Despite making cameo appearances in the wins over Portsmouth and Chelsea, Havertz was an unused substitute in the games against Nottingham Forest and Inter.
Of course, Jesus also just returned from injury.
But if it’s a choice between him and Gokeres against Manchester United, then what happened at San Siro may have signaled the direction going forward.
Miley on Newcastle’s front line?
There is a concern for Newcastle that Bruno Guimarães, who was injured against PSV Eindhoven, may miss Sunday’s game against Aston Villa. But in Lewis Miley, at least they have a player ready to do whatever is asked of them.
Lewis Miley has been Newcastle’s right-back this season.
The 19-year-old ensured his captain was not absent for the second half of Wednesday’s game. Showing maturity and composure in midfield, he eventually moved to right-back and stripped Kieran Trippier of his captain’s armband on his sending off.
Miley has shown great versatility for Newcastle this season
It was a special moment for the academy product, who has moved between positions throughout the season. Having impressed as an instant right-back, he may need to move back into midfield, where he already plays a variety of roles.
Player Radar: Other Players to Watch
Will Brian Mbeumo be used as No. 9 again when Manchester United head to the Emirates Stadium following their Manchester derby victory? He could cause problems for the team he made his United debut in August.
Live Radar: What’s on Sky this weekend?
Don’t miss the match between Liverpool and Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium. It will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event from 5pm, ahead of Saturday’s 5.30pm kick-off.
On Sunday, Brentford v Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace v Chelsea and Newcastle v Aston Villa will be broadcast live on Sky Sports from 1pm, kick-off at 2pm, followed by Arsenal v Man United at 4.30pm.
Join David Jones and Jamie Carragher for Everton vs Leeds on Monday Night Football on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event (kick-off 8pm) from 6.30pm.
Read the last radar column
In my last column, I argued that Manchester United’s new head coach, Michael Carrick, launched an attack against Manchester City that was very effective. We also focused on the return of Bruno Fernandes to number 10 and the influence of Antoine Semenyo.
