When you spank one into the top corner from 25 yards and follow it up with a header to put a tricky Champions League tie to bed, you’ve earned the plaudits – and Noni Madueke got them, with UEFA naming him Player of the Match in Arsenal’s 3–0 win at Club Brugge.
After showing real promise early in the season, a knee injury stalled his momentum, but since returning, he’s looked increasingly like a winger capable of matching his endeavour with end product. A goal off the bench against Bayern was a timely boost, and last night’s brace won’t hurt his confidence either.
“An unbelievable goal,” [purred Mikel Arteta](https://www.arsenal.com/news/every-word-artetas-post-brugge-presser) when asked about Madueke’s opener.
“When you talk about individual quality, individual action, a magic moment, that’s it. A player that is able to pick the ball that far, dribble past people and finish with the quality and the power that he’s done.”
Arteta also challenged the winger to show he can produce this level consistently. Little surprise given Bukayo Saka sits ahead of him in the pecking order.
“It’s about consistency, so any player that plays, and in the middle, we have the same example, we need to have those standards and play consistently.
“It’s not a game, it’s two games, three games. Can you do it ten games in a row, every three days, and that’s the level that we have to hit.”
It’s a conversation the manager confirmed he’s had directly with the 22-year-old.
“Yep. And in 10 consecutive actions. And that’s the level – that they live the game in every single action, after, after, after action. And that’s the challenge for them.”
Having lost most of his attackers to injury earlier in the season, it’s clear Arteta is relieved to finally have options across the frontline, especially now that fitness issues are mounting in defence.
“I think at this level, if you want to win games, you need individual players to step up and to do something different.
“I’m very happy because now we have some players back in the front line and you can tell how much better we have done.”
Only last week, Arteta had little choice but to deploy Mikel Merino as a makeshift number 9. Now, with Viktor Gyokeres regaining sharpness after a muscular problem and Gabriel Jesus returning after 11 months out with an ACL injury, he suddenly has two very different profiles to lead the line. A third option, Kai Havertz, is expected back before the end of the year.
On Jesus and Gyokeres offering contrasting styles, Arteta said: “I think they’re kind of a bit more different, you know. Both of them with great qualities, but yeah, very specific in what they bring to the team and individually in their actions and relationships that they meet around them as well. So, it’s good to have two very different players.”
With Wolves next up, Arteta’s forwards will be licking their lips. Saturday night’s opponents are well adrift at the bottom of the table, having accrued just two points from 15 matches.