How did Gyokeres do on his full Arsenal debut? And what’s next for Dowman?

There was a huge roar before kick-off. Arsenal have a new striker, a new No 14 – a centre forward that the football world asked Mikel Arteta to sign for years.

Come full-time, the No 14 being talked about was the number of touches Gyokeres managed on his first Arsenal start, rather than the aura of the Swedish striker following in the footsteps of Thierry Henry and his iconic shirt number.

The 27-year-old was given an hour by Arteta in Wednesday’s 3-2 defeat to Villarreal and it was a quiet start to life in north London. In his brief touches on the ball, Gyokeres managed two shots. One blocked, one saved.

It was slightly underwhelming, a minor anti-climax. But Arteta saw promising signs.

“He’s been with us only a week or so,” said the Arsenal manager after the game. “But I already saw a lot of things and a lot of purpose, especially the way he was attacking in certain spaces.”

Gyokeres attacked the box unlike any Arsenal centre forward in the current era. It took the Swede just 30 seconds to pull away into the left channel, take the ball into the box and cross. There was an unwanted tap-in on offer.

Arsenal have a centre forward in Kai Havertz who tends to move to the right channel to link up with Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka. The Gunners have a different option in Gyokeres for a different flank.

Then there was a moment late in the first half, when Gyokeres stood up two defenders and barged through both of them. Again, he pulled the ball back for a cross, but nobody was there.

It brings us nicely onto the next key feature of Gyokeres’ game: being within the width of the posts.

In the past, Arsenal have had options like Havertz and Gabriel Jesus and come for the ball, and while there was a bit of that with Gyokeres, his desire to stay on the last line and wait for chances in the box was clear.

Saka managed to beat his opposite man on two or three occasions in the first half, with Gyokeres in position from close range to pick up on any scraps. He nearly got on one in the opening period, but instead whacked the ball into Christian Norgaard on the stretch.

Then came his moment in the second half. Gyokeres was played through to the right of the box and had a tight angle, but still forced a solid save from Villarreal goalkeeper Luiz Junior.

It was an attack through the middle of the pitch – Arsenal ranked 20th out of all Premier League teams in that statistic last season. It was also a curved run in behind – instead of a link-up attack that Havertz is used to – that opened up a stubborn defence.

It ended up being Gyokeres’ last action of the game, with him substituted at the hour mark. It is clear that the Swedish striker still has some fitness to catch up on.

“I think it was very important for him to start a match and start to have the feeling and the connection with the team,” said Arteta.

“His fitness level, I think he hasn’t trained really with a team for two months, so he’s done now five or six sessions, I think, before today. So, on Saturday [against Athletic Club], I think he will take another step and he will be in a better condition.”

Arsenal’s plan over the next 10 days or so is to prepare their new striker for that Premier League opener against Manchester United, live on Sky Sports. “I hope days,” Arteta said about how long it will take Gyokeres to get up to speed.

Gyokeres still has a few hurdles to go through. His first 90 minutes, but also a first match with Martin Odegaard behind him.

“Every day in training, I think he’s getting a really good feeling,” added Arteta. “I think he’s built connections as well outside [the pitch], which I think is really important with players that are going to help him to be in the position that he needs to get in.”

And will he be ready for the trip to Old Trafford? “I think mentally and understanding what he needs to do, it will be 100 per cent or more,” added the Arsenal boss. “Because he’s so willing and so confident as well that he can deliver straight away.

“I have no doubt that he will be in a really good place.”

And how about Max Dowman?

Alongside Gyokeres was the impressive Max Dowman, who once again solidified himself as one of the most talented teenagers in the game.

Just like against Newcastle in Singapore, the 15-year-old came off the bench and showed the fearlessness of a player twice his age. Just like against Newcastle, it was one superb solo run too many for the Villarreal defenders, who had to bring him down for a penalty.

Dowman’s industrious running was epitomised by the statistic that he attempted four times as many dribbles as Saka against Villarreal, in just a third of the time.

“He continues to impress, without a doubt. The impact he had in the game again today, the efficiency that he shows in every attack and action, it’s incredible,” said Arteta.

“Again, he deserves to have chances, and if he continues like this, let’s see what happens.”

Dowman is becoming a phenomenon to English audiences, but to his Arsenal team-mates, it is nothing new. Even last season, the then-14-year-old was training with Arteta’s first team but was not allowed to play in the Premier League or the Champions League due to age rules.

“With Max it’s been so fast,” added Arteta. “Even last year, when he was training with us, he was doing this kind of thing in training and now he’s doing it in the game consistently.

“So the three or four games that he’s played, he’s managed to impact and have big moments in the game. Great.”

Many believe Dowman’s competitive debut will come this season, at the same age that Ethan Nwaneri made his professional bow back in 2022. While Dowman cannot feature in Europe until New Year’s Day – as players must be 16 or over to feature in the Champions League – he now has permission to play in the Premier League.

But for those expecting Dowman to turn up at Old Trafford and continue the show, Arteta has put a pin in that idea. Firstly, Nwaneri spent two seasons with the U21s before becoming a first-team regular. But for Dowman, he needs a small break first.

“Let’s see how it goes,” said Arteta about first-team minutes. “Let’s go into Saturday, into the break as well. He needs a little break because he hasn’t had any holidays really.

“He’s going to have a break, which I think he needs. And then, following the week, he’ll be ready again to go.”