Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus has not scored a single Premier League goal this season, and manager Mikel Arteta knows that may be starting to have an effect on the Brazilian’s mentality.
Jesus has started just two games in league play so far, accumulating 244 minutes across 12 appearances, but has yet to find the back of the net. He has just one goal across all competitions, blanked in four Champions League appearances while bagging his only strike so far in the EFL Cup fourth round against Preston North End.
Ahead of Arsenal’s home meeting with AS Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday, the Gunners’ boss knows that they have to back their man if he is to begin firing regularly.
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“Like all strikers, they go on phases and moments, and that gap is becoming big [for Jesus],” Arteta admitted in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.
“It’s true that obviously a lot of things have happened. Injuries, absences of not playing or starting games that much, but his attitude has been really good, it always is, and we’re going to try to help him overcome the situation as soon as possible.”
The 27-year-old has not scored a Premier League goal since January 30, when he found the first of a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest in the middle of last season.
Thanks to his goal drought, now at 22 league games, Jesus has fallen behind other options in the Arsenal lineup, with Kai Havertz most often preferred up front. He has started a few games in the EFL Cup and Champions League as Arteta rotates the squad, but he has failed to deliver on many of those occasions.
It wouldn’t be the first time a poor run of form has affected Jesus mentally. Back in 2019 while the Brazilian was playing for Manchester City, he admitted that sometimes he puts too much weight on his own back.
“I take it [personally] of course,” Jesus said at the time. “I think: ‘Oh my god I have to score, I have to score, I have to score’. When I have the chance sometimes I miss because I think too much and put too much pressure on myself. I try. I’m getting better. I’m working to score and don’t think about the pressure.”
Jesus then sensationally added, “for me, when I’m not happy, I want to shoot myself in the head because it’s difficult.”
