‘Unpredictable’ Arsenal player had a point to prove against Ipswich, and he delivered

Noni Madueke has divided opinion since joining Arsenal.

The talent has never been in doubt, but the final product, too often, has been. So often, he does the hard bit, beats his man, gets into dangerous positions, and then the delivery lets him down. The dilly-dallying in the final third. The wrong decision at the wrong moment. Just a player who isn’t quite making the most of what he’s capable of.

He has recently been loosely linked with a possible departure in January, with Juventus and Atletico Madrid among the clubs said to be monitoring his situation. However, Arsenal can’t really afford to sell him given the thinness of their attacking options, but the transfer speculation alone tells you something about where he stands.

On Tuesday night at Portman Road was his first start since the Community Shield. It was a chance to make a statement, and he took it.

Amid the transfer noise, Noni Madueke played like a man who actually wants to be at Arsenal. The goal was well taken, lashing a venomous low strike into the far corner to put the Gunners 2-0 up. But it was the details around his general performance that would have impressed Mikel Arteta most. Quick decisions in the final third rather than the usual hesitation. Good deliveries with his weaker foot. Intelligent combinations, particularly with Bruno Guimaraes, who brought out the best in him all night.

The frustration with Madueke has always been that the raw talent is clearly there. Against Ipswich, he showed what can happen when he puts it all together. Alright, it’s effectively Ipswich’s B team, but it felt like he a player who’s been actively working to improve the weaknesses in his game.

He was substituted after 76 minutes to a warm reception from the away fans. It will be interesting to see whether Arteta rewards that performance with more opportunities in the weeks ahead. Tonight, Madueke made a strong case that he deserves them.