Chelsea have some of the biggest talents in world football. The English club has seen a significant change in the team ever since Todd Boehly took over the club. Chelsea are offering long-term contracts to young players. These players are happy to join the club as they receive a huge transfer fee. Some players have settled well, while others have to find their way into the first team.
The Blues also appointed Enzo Maresca as their new manager for the 2024-25 season. The former Leicester City manager helped the Foxes to earn promotion. Maresca has already made some changes by removing some of the individuals that are not a part of his plan. He has decided to work with a few individuals heading into the season. One player who is a part of Maresca’s plan is Noni Madueke.
Noni Madueke has been one of the brightest individuals since moving to Chelsea. He also won the UEFA Euro U 21 with England last summer. The 22-year-old made a bright start to the 2024-25 season. He was rewarded with a senior team call-up for the upcoming international break. So, how did Madueke make it to the final squad? Let’s find it out.
Creativity down the right
Noni Madueke didn’t feature in the first league game. He was given a chance against Wolves and the youngster ended up scoring a hat-trick. Madueke also played in a couple of UEFA Europa Conference League qualifier matches.
The above visual shows the touch map and heat map of Noni Madueke along with some of his winger actions. Madueke likes to stretch the opposition’s defence. He penetrated the box on several occasions and found himself in decent scoring or goal-creating positions. This shows that Madueke can become a nightmare for any left-back with his skills.
The 22-year-old has completed around 70% of his dribbles this season. Madueke’s runs are more effective when he tries to penetrate the box from a wider position. The player is very skilful and often draws out fouls from the opposition players.
This is how Noni Madueke likes to penetrate the opposition’s penalty box. The youngster makes diagonal runs or attempts passes that land around the penalty spot.
Madueke scored a hat-trick in his first English Premier League game this season. He took his tally to four goals by scoring a goal in the Conference League qualifiers. Noni has taken 13 shots in four matches with an accuracy rate of around 60%. Almost every shot has been attempted from the same angle. This shows that Madueke is always present at the far post to touch the ball into the back of the net.
One area where he would like to improve is in creating more chances for the team. Madueke’s passing hasn’t shown the best of his creativity. Most passes have been made to keep the possession. A couple of passes have found a teammate inside the penalty box.
Noni Madueke will have a chance to earn his first international cap. He has the talent to become the next big thing in England.
Visuals via TFA data viz engine
