Coach Mikel Arteta described Noni Madueke's opening goal in Arsenal's win over Brugge in the Champions League as a "magic moment". However, more than anyone else, he understands that moment did not come randomly, but was the result of hours of hard work on the training ground.
Madueke has made constant efforts to improve himself, combining training sessions with the team with individual lesson plans under the guidance of a coach specializing in skills. The English winger started working with the expert about four years ago, when he was still a teenager playing for PSV Eindhoven, with the goal of exploiting his full potential.
The first training sessions between the two took place during the 2021 summer vacation. Madueke then returned to PSV and immediately made his mark with six goals in the first eight games of the season, including a brace against Ajax in the Dutch Super Cup.
"I think he was really attracted from that moment. It was a very intense training process, and Madueke quickly realized the obvious benefits it brought," Saul Isaksson- Hurst, the coach mentioned, shared with the media.
The training sessions between Madueke and Isaksson- hurst initially only take place in the summer months, when the player is still playing for PSV. However, the frequency of training has increased significantly since he returned to London, first for Chelsea and now for Arsenal, where Madueke continues to develop his career after a knee injury.
"In my opinion, that is what you want from a player: talented, but at the same time eager to strive and constantly improve" - Isaksson- hurst shared. He described Madueke as a "mentalmon" - a quality that the winger is also clearly showing at Arsenal.
Chelsea's £52 million transfer deal was once met with many doubts from fans, but Madueke quickly responded with a convincing performance, gradually conquering even the most skeptical opinions.
It can be affirmed that Madueke is one of Arsenal's most outstanding players in the early stages of the season. He quickly became a high-quality around-the-top option for Bukayo Saka - who often has to carry a huge amount of competition. Madueke's full recovery from injury helps Arsenal allocate Saka's playing time more appropriately without significantly reducing the quality of attack on the right wing.
In the last three matches, Madueke started two matches, while Saka started one match. Both have directly contributed to Arsenal's four goals in this run. "That's what we want. That is the power of real competition for positions in the squad.
We played with a three-day, one-match intensity, but the players still kept their freshness and determination. They understand that they must maintain their form at that level. And that is the standard we have set," said coach Mikel Arteta.
The presence of Madueke has brought the depth that Arsenal lacked on the right wing of the attack. However, his contribution did not stop at the rotation factor. Although still needing to improve stability in finishing to achieve the same effect as Saka, Madueke possesses unique qualities, giving Arsenal more diverse and unpredictable attack options.
