Has Madueke set the world alight? If he'd had the game time Madueke has had, would Ethan have 0 goals and 0 assists in the league? He got 9 goals last season, 4 in the league, with limited minutes.
His end product, which is a key problem area for us right now, is far better. I don't think Madueke's performances have warranted the amount of minutes he's got over Ethan.
Look, from a career development perspective, it's a good move for Ethan and he'll get regular playing time. But thinking about the context of this season, from Arsenal's perspective, I don't see how we benefit from letting him go - especially as we're currently competing on 4 fronts.
Madueke has set the world alight slightly more than Nwaneri. But again, Madueke is playing in a less pressured position. The #10 is seen as the position that holds more responsibility for making things happen and dictating things. So Nwaneri last season playing as the right winger had slightly less pressure and more freedom to just have a go at beating his man. When the #10 ****s up, we all sigh a bit more.
But Madueke was an odd signing. I have about similar levels of hope for him as I do Nwaneri. Nwaneri is the better player, but he's playing in a tougher position to be great at. Madueke needs consistent output, but I can't see that ever happening when he's not going to be a consistent starter. He's our right sided Martinelli. A good backup. But he's a bloomin expensive backup. But if he's happy sitting on the bench half the time then great. Someone who plays half the time in a team that goes deep in four competitions will still play almost as much football (and at a much higher and meaningful standard) than someone who plays 40-odd pointless games a season for Man Utd.
Martinelli and Madueke are our #7 and #11 game finishers, or starters against fodder in the cups. What we really need now though is a left-sided Saka and probably a striker still. Yan Diomande surely has to be high on our list for the summer - never watched a minute of him, but if he signs for us then he'll clearly the best left winger in the world (and if he goes elsewhere then he's overrated and bang average). Vague rumours of Alvarez wanting out of Atletico too. Now he is objectively high quality and we should be after him. And if he also struggles with us under our horseshoe tactics, then we know it's our tactics and not the striker and there's no point in searching anymore, we should just put up with it.
A left back too given MLS is quite clearly not a left-back. Or a centre-back if Hincapie becomes our second 'left back'. Or maybe Salmon is the lan for centre-back and he comes more into the squad next year and we then have Cala (Hincapie), Saliba (Mosquera), Gabriel (Salmon), Timber (White).
Raya (Kepa)
Timber (White)
Gabby (Salmon)
Saliba (Mosquera)
Calafiori (Hincapie)
Zubimendi (MLS)
Rice (Merino)
Saka (Madueke)
Eze (Odegaard/Nwaneri)
*Diomande* (Martinelli)
*Alvarez* (Havertz)
Dowman to appear more and more. That's 24 right there.
Perhaps keep Norgaard to make up a 25-person squad. Cheap wages and clearly a good guy to have around a squad. Get rid of anyone that will take Gyokeres, Vieira, Nelson, Zinchenko, Trossard, Kiwior, Jesus. Might only get £50m-odd for that lot combined but it would free up £1m in weekly wages roughly.
