James Maddison - A Complete Midfielder
Primarily an attacking threat, James Maddison is an upgrade on every Arsenal midfielder bar Thomas Partey. He made 21 goal contributions in all competitions for Leicester last season and is integral to progressing the ball. He’s also versatile, dictating play from anywhere in the opposition’s half.
Between his positional intelligence, forward running, technical skill, and goalscoring ability, he’s effectively a hybrid between Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey. Arsenal failed to replace either of those players, so it’s no surprise that our midfield lacks penetration.
If Arteta’s intent on playing a 4-3-3 next season, Maddison would be an ideal offensive counterpart to Thomas Partey. Here is how he fits into the Arsenal team tactically:
Playing Strengths
James Maddison is very much the modern midfield player. As an attacking number 8, he brings the core technical skillset you’d expect from a high calibre midfielder. He has good passing range and vision, with the ability to execute threatening balls almost at will. This is reflected in his comparatively low passing accuracy of 83.3%.
Unlike our current midfielders, Maddison will try the higher-risk option if an opportunity arises. He possesses the speed of thought to do this quickly, with the agility and pace necessary to get past defenders.
He’s also dynamic in that he makes runs beyond the ball to support attacks (we’ve lacked since Ramsey’s departure). This trait explains why Maddison is a progressive influence on his team and why he plays as a number 10 at times.
Once in and around the box, Maddison contributes goals and assists, and is an accomplished set-piece taker. Another strength is that Maddison has good timing, arriving late to find opportunities to pass or shoot. The benefits of this are clear, as Maddison scored the most goals from outside the penalty area last season.
Finally, as with most midfielders since the Spanish Tikka-Takka revolution, Maddison is skilful. He has quick feet, can ride challenges, and retain possession in tight areas/under pressure. He also has a great engine and can deal with the physical intensity of the EPL.
Another bonus is that Maddison doesn’t need lots of time and space to be effective in a game. This immediately makes him a massive upgrade on Xhaka or Elneny.
However, although Maddison is well-drilled tactically, he cannot be considered a direct replacement for Xhaka. A deeper-lying playmaker would still be needed to fill the squad.
Mentality & Playing Position
Tactical Insight - Offense
Maddison is at his best when in possession and on the attack. He starts for Leicester on the left of central midfield, typically as an advanced option in a midfield trio. From here, he seeks to drive the team up the pitch with direct passing, clever interplay, and forward runs.
A specialist in breaking lines of defence, vision, and quick passing are core components of his skillset. They allow his team to transition from ball recovery into attacking the final third in an instant.
Highlights show many of Maddisons assists coming from long balls, hit early to catch the opposition out of shape. This is a crucial component in Leicester catching teams on the break.
It also enables Vardy to play off the shoulder, service that Aubameyang was deprived of last season. I believe this is something Arteta is trying to replicate at Arsenal.
Pep Guardiola’s teams specialise in sucking in opposition, then finding forwards with accurate, raking balls while they’re out of shape.
This is why De Bruyne is so important to Man City. It’s also why we have suffered creatively. Granit Xhaka is the only midfielder with the passing range necessary to do this at the club.
However, he is criticised for moving the ball too slowly and rarely showcased this aspect of his skillset in the premier league.
Tactical Insight - Defence
High-intensity pressing is a hallmark of the modern game. As such, teams must play as a collective unit. They also need to contribute to all phases of play. This means players must be capable of reading the whole picture in a game.
Considering his free role at Leicester, this can definitely be said of Maddison. Rodgers trusts Maddison to step out of midfield and act as a number 10. This is because he understands the structural and positional needs of the team.
Naturally, a lot of graft is involved in covering defensive and offensive duties. Maddison has the stamina and pace, to make recovery runs and help out the defence.
Maintaining defensive shape means sacrificing personal glory to ensure the collective unit is not exposed. Therefore, Maddison is also a team player.
These are all attributes Mikel Arteta spoke highly of when first becoming Arsenal manager. Commitment to the team was another cultural aspect that Arteta wanted to change. I think Maddison ticks these boxes. He would make a fine addition to Arsenal’s midfield and the matches ideals of the manager.
Maddison is effectively an attack-minded clone of Thomas Partey. He contributes end to end and is really more of an attacking B2B or number 8, than out and out number 10.
In any case, he’s a player that could add at least 5 points to our finishing tally next season.
James Maddison's Off-Pitch Demeanour is fine
I’ve seen some pretty unfair criticism of Maddison online. Apart from a Casino incident (which was, of course, spun up by the media), there’s nothing to suggest that Maddison is an ego-maniac or a tw*t as some call him.
Yes, he has a deal with Boohoo. So what? Everything I could find by people who actually know him suggests that he’s committed and serious about becoming a top player.
He keeps a low profile and is confident and determined to make it as an elite footballer. He’s also said to be spirited and full of character. Judging by the issues we’ve had as a club, a player with something about them would be a handy addition to the changing room.
As far as I can see, there are no problems here.
Reservations
Maddison Lacking leadership?
James Maddison may not be the right man to drag Arsenal through games when we’re not doing well. To be fair, I didn’t do a tonne of research into his performances when Leicester lost (you’d have to watch every game to judge him fairly).
However, looking at statistics, Maddison did appear to go missing in a lot of big games. Out of the 11 games played against the top 6, he registered a match rating of 7 or above only 3 times. He also lasted the full 90 minutes in 6 of those games, registering 3 goals and 1 assist.
What this means in relation to his ability/price, I leave you to decide, but it’s a factor worth noting. Speaking of…
Transfer Fee - Do you see arsenal spending £70m?
I’ll say it now: unless Arsenal can sell all the players halfway out the door, I’d be surprised if we signed James Maddison this window. He’s valued at close to £50m, and reports indicate it would cost at least £60-£70m to do a deal. That’s on top of the £73m the club is set to have spent on White, Tavares, and Lokonga.
We’ve done it in the past, but I cannot see Arsenal spending £150m on transfers this season (unless it’s another leveraged investment by Kroenke). We’re out of Europe, every European club (bar the Premier League) is short on cash, and Arsenal were one of the worst-hit clubs financially from the stadium ban.
Leicester are also no mugs. They’re well run, don’t need to sell, and everyone knows that Arsenal are desperate. Our owners are also clowns, so bring no clout to the table.
I’m not entirely writing this one off as the interest from Arsenal is real. However, his would be a tough deal to complete and a major coup, given the landscape of this window. We also need a new GK, RB, CM/DM, and potentially striker, and Odegaard could be available for £30m.
You get the feeling that this one will go right to the end of the window, but Maddison would make a smart acquisition nonetheless.
Peace Out ✌🏾