Sport
Was Noni Madueke misjudged by Arsenal fans?
There weren’t many more unpopular signings this summer than Noni Madueke to Arsenal, and much of the negativity came from Gunners fans. The truth is, it probably wasn’t aimed at Madueke himself, but rather the idea that yet another Chelsea squad player was heading to the Emirates Stadium and the optics of that were far from ideal.
That is understandable; Arsenal have become one of the best teams in Europe over recent seasons and have challenged for the Premier League title much more consistently than Chelsea. Yet their recruitment has been heavily reliant on signing the Blues’ perceived deadwood. Kai Havertz was unwanted at Stamford Bridge but Arsenal paid £65m for him and still needed to sign Viktor Gyokeres this summer to solve their goalscoring problem. Raheem Sterling signed on loan last summer but made very little impact, and Kepa Arrizabalaga joined as back up goalkeeper.
When Madueke became a target, there was a lot of built-up frustration that spilt over. The eventual cost of the deal was £50m, which seemed steep considering he was a bit-part player at Stamford Bridge and the Blues were seemingly signing new attacking players at every opportunity. It should also be noted that he joined them from PSV Eindhoven for £30m two years earlier; whether he had done enough to justify a £20m profit in that time was debatable at best. The fact he was seen as a back-up option for Bukayo Saka also made the fee rather difficult to stomach.
But Arsenal fans were looking at the situation in the wrong way. It is common to see a player through a certain perception, rather than seeing the reality of what they would bring. Madueke was written off as a Chelsea reject and it was weak of the club to sign him, but had they bought him as one of the most exciting wingers in Europe, which he undoubtedly was at PSV, the reception would undoubtedly be more positive. Madueke is still the same player with the same skillset, known particularly for his propensity to hug the touchline, stretch the pitch and effortlessly beat his man. It is early days, but he is already showing that at his new club.
Over the last year, despite rarely being the main man at Chelsea, Madueke has been in the 99th percentile for progressive carries and the 78th percentile for successful take ons. He was Arsenal’s chief threat in their Champions League matchday one win over Athletic Club on Tuesday, and although his end product was far from perfect, he picked up where he had left off in the win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday. In the 3-0 win at the Emirates Stadium, he drove the team on and earned a deserved standing ovation from the home fans, which felt like an acceptance that he had proven them wrong.
Madueke isn’t the finished article, far from it. He needs to add numbers to his creativity, but the point is he seldom fails to impact a game with his dribbling and always looks to make something happen. He is also perfect for what Mikel Arteta needs from his wingers; with Martin Odegaard and occasionally Havertz utilising central spaces, Arteta wants his wide men to stay wide. Compare Madueke to Eberechi Eze on Tuesday, and that is well illustrated. Eze was signed to be a creative force; he may start wide on the left, but he likes to cut inside with the license of a free role. Arteta insisted he stay out wide even without the injured Odegaard on the pitch, and his wings were certainly clipped as a result.
It is early days for Madueke and Arsenal, but he is already justifying the decision to buy him. He is a lesson in perception; while he struggled at Chelsea, thriving is difficult due to the sheer turnover of players. If talented players arrive on a conveyor belt, other talented players will be stifled and unable to express themselves. Perhaps rather than taking an unwanted player off Chelsea’s hands, Arsenal have set Madueke free and given him a more fruitful environment in which to reach his potential.
