Arsenal's 'scary Show Of Strength' As Madueke Shines

Arsenal came into this play connected nan backmost of a engaged summertime transportation model wherever they spent astir £250m and brought successful 8 players to propel different push for nan Premier League title.

As they swept speech Nottingham Forest 3-0 pinch 5 of those caller signings starting, nan Gunners showed why specified fierce recruitment was justified.

Mikel Arteta's broadside were without cardinal trio Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and William Saliba done injury, while skipper Martin Odegaard limped disconnected successful only nan 18th minute.

But it mattered small arsenic Arsenal showed their spot successful extent to cruise to an awesome success.

Viktor Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi were their connection signings and apt to commencement sloppy of nan opposition.

But pinch Declan Rice named arsenic a substitute, head Arteta looks to person ripped up his tier strategy for this campaign, wherever he had a number of players who were guaranteed starters and expected to play astir of nan games.

And contempt their wounded troubles, Arsenal person won 3 of their first 4 convention games and are yet to concede a extremity from unfastened play.

The beingness demands connected players and relentless schedule meant Arteta and nan nine decided they needed to bring successful high-calibre players to guarantee location was not a driblet successful value during times for illustration this.

Havertz has a knee wounded that will support him retired for weeks, Saka has been unavailable since nan 5-0 triumph complete Leeds pinch a hamstring injury, while centre-back Saliba was withdrawn pinch an ankle problem successful nan conclusion astatine Liverpool.

Midfielder Odegaard has had a enarthrosis problem and was again withdrawn against Forest aft an awkward fall.

The absence of this quartet would usually beryllium a origin for situation astatine Arsenal, and injuries to their influential players past play was a awesome facet successful why nan Gunners fell distant successful nan title title to decorativeness 2nd down Liverpool and falter successful nan Champions League semi-final against Paris St-Germain.

While Arteta will beryllium eager for those players to return, his broadside - led by awesome England duo Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze - proved they person nan talent and options to header and get results.

When asked astir his summertime recruitment, nan Spaniard said: "If we wouldn't person done that and, arsenic you said, pinch nan injuries that we have, unluckily immoderate of them are very difficult to control, we would person been successful a very different place.

"We knew that that was nan standard, that's nan modular of nan different teams successful nan convention successful Europe, and you tin spot that.

"I'm very happy because it gives america options, it gives america nan capacity arsenic good to alteration games, it gives nan capacity to person beingness successful nan team, and now we person to make judge that everybody feels connected and important."

Arsenal recreation to Spain connected Tuesday to look Athletic Bilbao for nan first of their Champions League games this play and Arteta said that was different logic nan nine decided to invest.

"The players person to play 70 aliases 74 games passim nan season. It's ne'er been done," he added.

"When nan strength was that high, they are not going to beryllium capable to prolong that. So you request much players, nan standards person raised, we request amended players and there's nary secret."

It was a sentiment backed up by erstwhile Arsenal defender Martin Keown.

"That was a existent scary show of spot from Arsenal, pinch nan value of player. You've been without Havertz, and Saka unavailable, and that was a problem for Arsenal past season, but not this," he told TNT Sports.

"Madueke, Eze coming successful today, some of them outstanding. Gyokeres, what astir that 2nd goal, truthful direct, guardant pass. This man successful nan box, a existent predator.

"The value of nan group, moreover this young man [Cristhian Mosquera] astatine nan back, what a capacity that was. His afloat debut astatine Arsenal, location game, outstanding.

"At nan moment, Arsenal are looking truthful strong."

Arteta's beforehand 3 of Eze, Gyokeres and Madueke had ne'er played together earlier nan Forest match.

Eze was making his afloat debut and capped it disconnected pinch an assistance for Gyokeres, while Madueke was arguably Arsenal's champion player.

"The caller ones that started, 5 of them, I'm really impressed pinch them," added Arteta.

"I deliberation you tin consciousness and consciousness that location are caller relationships flourishing location that are going to springiness america different things.

"To go much unpredictable, Noni, I deliberation he was exceptional arsenic well."

Madueke's capacity comes disconnected nan backmost of a week wherever he started some of England's World Cup qualifiers and scored his first extremity for nan Three Lions successful nan 5-0 triumph complete Serbia successful Belgrade.

The 23-year-old hit Forest full-back Morato astatine will and pursuing an wounded to visiting centre-back Murillo, Ange Postecoglou swapped Neco Williams from nan correct to near broadside successful an effort to extremity Madueke.

The stats backmost up Madueke's effect excessively arsenic he classed first for chances created (5), chances created from unfastened play (5), dribbles completed (4), and duels won (9) successful a good display.

The Gunners besides directed 44.7% of their attacks down nan correct flank to get him connected nan shot and he was a changeless root of danger.

"A batch of Arsenal fans were doubting nan transportation and Noni Madueke looks successful electrical form," West Ham and Crystal Palace defender Danny Gabbidon told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"He tin spell either way. He will spell connected his correct arsenic overmuch arsenic he cuts successful connected his left.

"From a protect constituent of view, that's difficult to take sides against. He has caused each sorts of problems."