Arsenal fans were both concerned and intrigued about how Mikel Arteta was going to handle Arsenal’s left-wing problem against Leeds.
With Christos Tzolis ruled out for up to a month with a hamstring injury, most fans assumed Eberechi Eze would fill the void for the time being. But Arteta threw a curveball when the team was announced on Saturday morning, and it was in fact Noni Madueke who was selected on the left flank.
And while Madueke may well be a temporary solution for the problem, he was a constant threat with his directness and runs in behind. His pace was exactly what Arsenal have been lacking in attack, and was particularly on show in the defeat to Brighton.
Madueke created the most chances of any player on the pitch against Leeds and registered the most touches in the opposition box. For a player deployed on his weaker side, it was an impressive showing.
So often the frustration with Madueke is his erratic decision-making in the final third. When he plays on the right, cutting inside onto his left foot sometimes gives him too many options and it causes him to overthink.
On the left, however, his angles are more limited, which forces quicker, more instinctive decisions, increasing his goal threat as a result. It might actually be a really smart internal solution for Arteta.
But there is another benefit to this tactical experiment involving Max Dowman. With Madueke — the nominal backup to Bukayo Saka — playing on the left, Dowman becomes the natural backup to Saka in that right-wing slot, opening up more minutes for the teenager.
Although naturally a number 10, the right wing could be the more realistic short-term route into the team for him right now, as Jack Wilshere recently pointed out. Interestingly, though, Arteta hinted that Dowman could be an option himself to Arsenal’s left-wing problem, though it felt like more of a passing comment.
The Lille game should tell us more about how and where Arteta views Dowman in his thinking right now. Could he potentially even start for the Gunners on Tuesday night? The 16-year-old became the youngest player to ever play in the Champions League last season, but is yet to start a game in the competition.