Rio Ferdinand Disagrees with Gary Lineker on Arsenal's £64m Striker Viktor Gyokeres
Gary Lineker believes Viktor Gyokeres must start scoring against stronger teams to avoid being labeled a "flat-track bully." In contrast, Rio Ferdinand is confident the striker will lead Arsenal to the Premier League title.
Transfer and Early Performances
Arsenal paid Sporting Lisbon £64 million for the Swedish forward, whose initial displays have divided opinion among fans and experts.
Strengths and Criticism
- Praised for his work-rate, tenacity, hold-up play, and ability to disrupt opposition defenses.
- Scored six goals in 14 appearances in all competitions.
- Four Premier League goals have come against teams near the bottom of the table — Leeds, Nottingham Forest, and Burnley.
Flat-Track Bully Debate
The term “flat-track bully” describes players who perform well against weaker sides but struggle against stronger opponents. Some have applied this label to the 27-year-old Gyokeres due to the distribution of his goals.
“I don’t want to call him a flat-track bully, that’s a bit unfair,” former England striker Gary Lineker said on The Rest is Football.
Ferdinand's Confidence in Gyokeres
Rio Ferdinand dismisses such concerns and believes Gyokeres will be instrumental in securing the Premier League title for Arsenal.
Gary Lineker says Viktor Gyokeres must start scoring against ‘top teams’, but Rio Ferdinand says he will win the Premier League for Arsenal.
Summary
Despite mixed views on Viktor Gyokeres' impact against top-tier teams, Rio Ferdinand remains optimistic about his ability to lead Arsenal to Premier League success.
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