Mauricio Pochettino and his young Chelsea squad are settling into the Premier League. The squad is a mix of young and mid-aged players, with most of them joining under the ownership of Todd Boehly. Since he took over, a lot of youngsters have found their way into the squad. The Blues are targeting young talents, who could build a solid team for the future.
One such arrival was of Noni Madueke. Having graduated from Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur, the youngster decided to move on. He went to the Netherlands and joined PSV. The forward won a domestic cup and his performances on the pitch caught the eye of money. Chelsea paid a handsome amount to sign the 22-year-old Englishman. Madueke won the UEFA Euro U21 championship in 2023 and was one of the top performers. However, his Euro success was not enough to make the manager happy and he is spending most of his time on the bench.
Madueke has that cutting edge and desire to run with the ball. The manager has so many players and he cannot play Madueke every week. However, the consistency of the player after coming off the bench is something to watch out for. Here is a look at why this youngster deserves more opportunities in the future.
Running down the right flank
Noni Madukede is a left-footed winger who plays on the right side. He likes to take on defenders and penetrate the opposition penalty box with these runs. In the current season, Madueke averages 6.2 progressive runs per 90 minutes and has completed 50% of his dribbles. He is a typical winger who likes to take on the opposition players. Delivering an accurate cross is a concern for the player. Madueke only delivers 24% of his crosses.
Noni Madueke has also shown his defensive side and often gets involved in winning the ball. The 22-year-old has won 61% of his defensive duels. Other than this, he has made quite a few remarkable counter-pressing recoveries to win the ball.
End product
Playing on the left flank, Madueke likes to open space for himself to take a shot. He is also a good penalty taker and has been handed the responsibility to take two penalties for his team. Madueke has attempted all of his shots from a similar angle and targeted the far post. He averages 3.4 shots per 90 minutes and has a 40% accuracy rate. The winger has netted six goals.
His creativity could turn out to be his biggest asset. The amount of deliveries made in the dangerous areas shows that Madueke needs an in-form striker, who could finish off these chances. Chelsea have struggled to score consistently in the last couple of seasons.
Noni Madueke will be eyeing more opportunities in the future. He has a chance to impress the manager in the remaining matches and become a Chelsea regular.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
