Arsenal's summer transfer window underlined their ambition to finally turn promise into silverware.

After finishing second last season, ten points behind Liverpool, and reaching the Champions League semi-finals, Mikel Arteta moved aggressively in the market.

Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera, Christian Nørgaard, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Piero Hincapié all arrived.

However, the two headline signings were Viktor Gyökeres from Sporting Lisbon and Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace.

Although Arsenal’s early results have shown promise, several issues still need to be addressed.

They opened with a 1-0 win at Old Trafford and followed it with a 5-0 demolition of Leeds at the Emirates.

But a trip to Anfield exposed their old frustrations, as they failed to test Liverpool and slipped to a 1-0 defeat courtesy of a wondrous Dominic Szoboszlai free-kick. Gyokeres, meanwhile, was far from his best...

Gyökeres and the Anfield Test

Gyökeres was signed for £63.5m with the expectation that he could be the missing piece in Arsenal’s title chase.

The 27-year-old had left Sporting Lisbon with a scarcely believable record of 97 goals and 28 assists in 102 appearances.

According to FBref, he combines the raw power of a traditional striker with modern mobility, ranking in the 94th percentile for goals per 90 minutes (0.85) and the 97th percentile for progressive passes received (8.50 per 90).

In other words, he not only scores frequently but consistently finds space behind the defensive line. His home debut hinted at that pedigree.

Two goals against Leeds made for a dream Emirates introduction.

Yet the Anfield clash told a very different story. Arsenal mustered just a single shot on target across 90 minutes, and Gyökeres looked isolated throughout.

He finished the game with no shots attempted, just one dribble, and only two key passes created for teammates. Of his seven attempted passes, just five found their mark (71%), and he lost possession six times.

In duels, he fared little better: winning three of five on the ground but none of his three aerial battles.

Those numbers didn’t reflect a lack of effort; they reflected a lack of supply.

Gyökeres is built to attack space and thrive off quick service, but when that supply line is starved, he drifts out of games.

At Anfield, he was forced to drop deep in search of the ball, which blunted his penalty-box threat and left Arsenal short of a central presence when they did occasionally progress up the pitch.

For a striker capable of bullying defences and finishing ruthlessly, the lesson was clear: he cannot do it alone.

He needs a consistent creative partner feeding him opportunities.

Eberechi Eze is the key to unlocking Gyokeres

That’s where Eze comes in.

Signed for £60m, the England international returned to the club that once released him as a teenager.

Introduced from the bench at Anfield on the 70th minute, he offered a glimpse of why Martin Keown once called him an “immense talent.”

His ability to glide into half-spaces, receive under pressure and commit defenders suggested a player tailor-made to unlock Gyökeres.

The data paints the same picture.

At Crystal Palace last season, Eze ranked in the 84th percentile for assists per 90 (0.30) and the 83rd percentile for shot-creating actions per 90 (4.64), underlining his consistent creative output, as per FBref.

He also sat in the 75th percentile for key passes (1.97 per 90) and the 73rd percentile for crosses (4.09 per 90).

Few midfielders in the league combined end product with such variety in chance creation.

Just as importantly, Eze has proven he can thrive alongside a physically imposing striker.

At Palace, his link-up play with Jean-Philippe Mateta became a central weapon.

Eze would drift between the lines, drag markers out of position, and release angled passes into Mateta’s runs.

Gyökeres, with his superior movement and finishing, is a natural upgrade on that template.

The parallels are striking: a technician who thrives on the half-turn paired with a hulking centre-forward built to punish defences.

At Anfield, Arsenal’s failure to connect midfield and attack highlighted the need for exactly that kind of partnership.

As Eze becomes an established member of the side, Gyökeres’ movement into channels and across the penalty area can finally be rewarded.

Gyökeres has already shown he can bully defenders and stretch backlines, while Eze has proven he can unlock tightly set defences with vision and flair.

Together, they can transform Arsenal’s sterile possession into penetrative football.