Mikel Arteta Commends Noni Madueke’s Impressive Development and Performance
Between the September-October international break and the upcoming November break, Noni Madueke has delivered several standout performances.
Wingers are frequently evaluated based primarily on goals and assists, and Madueke has certainly contributed in that area. He assisted a goal against Lille, netted a crucial winner against Nottingham Forest in October, and found the back of the net first against Slavia Praha midweek.
However, the 24-year-old has also played pivotal roles in many other matches. He provided the cross that led to Arsenal’s equaliser against Leeds United, was instrumental in creating opportunities during the late equaliser against Bayern Munich and the winning goal against Liverpool, and had his shot rebounded for Martin Odegaard to score against Hull City.
Speaking after the match against Hull, Mikel Arteta expressed his admiration for Madueke, acknowledging that while the winger’s recent form is commendable, there remains potential for further improvement.
“[Noni] reacted positively to not playing regularly, dedicated himself to training, and returned as a transformed player,” Arteta said. “He decided he wouldn’t accept that situation, he was serious about his development, and has since been exceptional.
“Now, having reached this position, he needs to continue refining and enhancing his skills; we will see if he can achieve that.
“He had three clear chances to score. He played a part in the action for the goal by Martin, but there are still areas where we can work to increase his efficiency.”
According to Sky Sports, Madueke now creates more chances per 90 minutes than any other Premier League player with a minimum of 250 minutes played.
This marks a significant improvement over last season, suggesting he is leveraging his dribbling ability more effectively than before.
With Bukayo Saka sidelined, Madueke’s ability to step up during this period has been essential. He has risen to the occasion, raising questions as to why Thomas Tuchel has yet to acknowledge his contributions with an England call-up.
On the Arsenal front, Madueke’s upcoming rest period will allow him to recharge and prepare to return at full strength after the international break.
