It wasn\u2019t so long ago that a petition titled #NoToMadueke circulated within the Arsenal support amid reports that the Gunners could move for the Chelsea winger. Noni Madueke joined the North London club against a backdrop of opposition from fans who didn\u2019t believe the 23-year-old would meaningfully improve Mikel Arteta\u2019s team. How wrong they were.<\/p>\n
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Saturday was Madueke\u2019s best performance in an Arsenal shirt to date. He was a constant threat down the right side, repeatedly testing the Nottingham Forest backline with his direct movements and willingness to get to the byline. Madueke didn\u2019t score or assist, but he was the best player on the pitch in a comfortable 3-0 victory.<\/p>\n
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With Bukayo Saka currently sidelined through injury and Martin Odegaard struggling for form and fitness, Madueke has been a crucial source of creativity for Arsenal in the early part of the season. He has settled in quickly at the Emirates Stadium and is already proving his doubters wrong.<\/p>\n
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\u201cA lot of courage, that\u2019s how I describe him. A lot of quality, but a lot of courage,\u201d said Arteta when asked what Madueke offers. \u201cHe\u2019s very skilful, very unpredictable, he\u2019s so willing to learn and he brings joy. I look at him and he\u2019s always smiling, he\u2019s always trying things. He gets one wrong, he goes again and that\u2019s what I love about the creative players because you need that to be successful.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Arsenal spent much of the summer transfer window adding depth to their squad. Arteta knew he needed different options in various areas and Madueke was one of the Gunners\u2019 most important additions with this in mind. The \u00a348.m fee Arsenal paid Chelsea for the winger reflected his potential.<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s unlikely Madueke expected to make such a profound impact so soon into his Arsenal career. The 23-year-old was probably braced for a supporting role behind Saka, but injuries have thrust him into the starting lineup and given him an opportunity to prove why Arteta wanted him in the first place.<\/p>\n
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Madueke completed more dribbles (five) than any other player on the pitch against Nottingham Forest. He was extremely positive every time he received the ball, also registering more key passes (five) than any other player and even contributing four accurate crosses into the opposition box. He was an all-round threat.<\/p>\n
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Saka might still be Arsenal\u2019s most consistent and reliable wide threat, but Madueke has shown he can ably deputise for his England teammate when required. It\u2019s possible Madueke\u2019s performances could push Saka to an even higher level now that he has genuine competition for his place in the lineup.<\/p>\n
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Ebere Eze also caught the eye in the win over Forest, making his first Premier League start for Arsenal since joining from Crystal Palace. He gives the Gunners a different dimension on the left side of the forward line and has surely replaced Gabriel Martinelli in Arteta\u2019s strongest lineup. Eze is on another level.<\/p>\n
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Madueke is also capable of operating on the left wing, meaning he could be the ultimate depth option for Arsenal on both sides of the pitch. The North London outfit want to compete on several fronts and Madueke is the sort of player who will help them do that. Arsenal supporters surely now see the value of his summer signing.<\/p>\n
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Arsenal have made a strong start to the 2025\/26 season. The limp loss to Liverpool at Anfield was disappointing, but Arteta still has his team pointed in the right direction with Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi contributing having joined the Gunners in the summer window. Nobody, however, has hit the ground running faster than Madueke.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It wasn\u2019t so long ago that a petition titled #NoToMadueke circulated within the Arsenal support amid reports that the Gunners could move for the Chelsea winger. Noni Madueke joined the North London club against a backdrop of opposition from fans who didn\u2019t believe the 23-year-old would meaningfully improve Mikel Arteta\u2019s team.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":48,"featured_media":54847,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[643],"tags":[272],"class_list":["post-57634","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sport","tag-featurehome"],"yoast_head":"\n