Noni Madueke has the tools and ability but after another frustrating night for Arsenal, the England star MUST step up or see his side suffer, writes ISAAN KHAN

DAILYMAIL.COM • 1h ago

By ISAAN KHAN, REPORTER 07:00 14 Oct 2026, updated 07:00 14 Oct 2026

By the hour mark, Mikel Arteta had seen enough. Another Noni Madueke dart forward resulting in a goal kick prompted his boss to swiftly turn away in quiet frustration, motioning for Bukayo Saka to get ready to come on.

You see, there is some player in Madueke. The sharp twists and turns, the watertight dribbling all point to a forward with spades of talent in his boots.

Such ability is why Arsenal splashed out £52million on the ex-Chelsea man amid protests from fans over his signature; #NoToMadueke had even harshly trended on X at one point.

Yet it’s his end product which continually stops him from reaching that next level. A decent player who can be very good on his day is a different prospect to a game-changer — which Madueke has the tools to become.

It’s why he can be such a frustrating watch, because of the level he is capable of reaching. His dainty run down the right wing and cut back on 18 minutes rose applause, followed by an awful cross which evaded everyone.

A few of his other crosses in the first half met the same fate: overcooked and lacking accuracy. A glance to the touchline showed Arteta doing his best to mask annoyance at the profligacy.

He ceased hiding this upon pivoting to Saka, calling him to cut his warm-up short.

When asked about Madueke’s lack of end product, Arteta replied: ‘I said when you talk about players being clinical. And what is clinical? Clinical sometimes means that they score five.

‘So, yeah, it’s about generating volume and more actions and getting him into the good position because he will decide matches. He had a really big contribution a few days ago. Today he had a contribution in the last final pass as well. And that’s it. We need to get the players to that level, to be decisive in every game if possible.’

In general, though, Madueke caused the Lille midfield and backline problems. There were neat first touches, plucking the ball gently from the air. His rapid acceleration from a standing point is hard to keep up with.

Then there is Madueke’s dribbling, which defenders found tricky to thwart. The ball stays tight within the forward’s grasp, allowing him to motor forward at speed.

So, the tools are there. Utilising them properly is another matter.

With Max Dowman waiting in the wings — he made a short cameo after 85 minutes — Madueke will be watching over his shoulder. He can ill afford not to step up, otherwise his place could well be taken in the coming months.

Even Lionel Messi has recognised the talent of Dowman, recently naming the 16-year-old in his top 10 talents for the future.

It’s the rest for Saka which is the more pressing matter, though. The winger’s introduction created a goal for Eberechi Eze, and he scored one himself, too.

The game swiftly turned in Arsenal’s favour after a first half full of frustration and wastefulness, marked by Saka’s introduction, alongside Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard.

Still, if Madueke had properly impacted the game, Saka could have been afforded a night off or a short introduction at the end.

Instead the England man was urgently required to guide the game towards three points.

His workload from the previous two seasons has been well documented, paired with a series of injuries which have hampered this team for Saka is an integral part.

The answer to Saka getting sufficient rest lies at the feet of Madueke.

He has the ability. It’s high time he translates it to end product or face the bench.

The regularity of Arsenal’s wins in recent seasons have masked a mightily impressive run in the Champions League.

The north London club are now unbeaten in their last 17 home games in the group stage/league phase of the competition, stretching back to 2015.

It equates to 16 wins, keeping 14 clean sheets along the way. After enduring heartbreak in last season’s Budapest final, the Gunners are well-equipped to go all the way this time around.

As Daily Mail Sport reported on Tuesday morning, 18-year-old pair Ceadach O’Neill and Maalik Hashi made the Arsenal squad. With Christos Tzolis injured, O’Neill could get further chances.

The Northern Ireland teenager made his competitive debut for the nation over the international break amid efforts from Republic of Ireland to try lure him to switch allegiance. He’s one to watch and will be eyeing a spot amid Madueke’s indifferent displays.

It follows the likes of Dowman and Marli Salmon having come through the Hale End academy and establishing themselves in the first-team set-up.

It’s a testament to an academy whose conveyer belt keeps churning out young gems.

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