Opinion: Arsenal Supporters Must Let Madueke Breathe

You know how some of our rivals call us a ‘banter club’?
I kind of get it. A section of our fanbase come out with some arrogant statements which come back to bite us and make us a laughing stock. Just because I’m a Gooner doesn’t mean I can ignore the constant hysteria.

When it was announced we had signed Madueke, some supporters actually started an online petition. Which in itself is nonsense because the Kroenke family are hardly going to care what a few thousand on the Internet feel. Our owners would not even know who Madueke is. Was it because he played for Chelsea? Was there a feeling that other areas of the squad needed investment more than a back-up for Saka? At Stamford Bridge or with England, I never saw what the 23-year-old did that was so bad for him not to be part of our squad. It is astounding arrogance to act like we are suddenly above a Three Lions international.

Four games into his life as a Gunner, some of my peers are suggesting his price tag has been justified, sarcastically mocking those who called him a ‘reject’ and apparently claiming he has proven that Arsenal can cope with injuries to our key players. The evidence is mainly based on two victories at the Emirates, one against a newly promoted side and another who parked the bus. The acid test at Anfield… we lost, as we struggled in attack to cope with (you guessed it) our key players not starting. Hence Alisson having one shot to save.

When I asked for evidence from those who claim he has been ‘exceptional’ so far in North London, proof of an assist or a goal was not offered. That is because neither exists.

Overreaction and reality

So while it was harsh to write off a player before he had kicked a ball for us, it equally seems slightly premature to be going overboard with praise. Like a lot of times with our supporters, the truth is probably in the middle. What Madueke did well on Saturday was target Morato, constantly taking on and beating his man, although his final ball mostly let him down.

It takes bravery and personality to demand the ball and believe you are the person who can make the difference. That already shows Mikel Arteta he has the character to want to take responsibility, especially knowing he is playing in front of a crowd who are not entirely convinced of his ability. Yet equally, we are talking about an asset who did cost an initial £48 million. With add-ons, that figure could rise over £50 million, so at that price you would be expected to get the better of a left-back not playing in his usual position.

It is almost patronising to a professional footballer to pat them on the head and congratulate them for being able to dribble past someone. That is literally his job. You know who will agree with me? The man himself. I bet at full time, as he was walking back to the dressing room, he was thinking about his end product and will spend this week in training working on his decision making in the final third. If we want to be champions, that is the standard we should demand. Imagine a Pires, Overmars or Ljungberg being told to ignore their attacking stats. It would never happen.

It is such a backwards compliment and disrespectful. It is a polite way of saying, ‘we assumed you were rubbish, so because the bar is so low, anything you do remotely well is a bonus.’