Performance Review: Noni Madueke
Is he turning into the player we all believe he can be?
Noni Madueke
Serbia U21s 9-1 (H) - 67 minutes played - 2 goals
Ukraine U21s 3-2 (A) - 90 minutes played - 1 goal
Noni has had an excellent international break, featuring prominently for the England U21s team, he started both games scoring 3 goals and probably being the best player in that squad during this break.
He started on the Right-wing v Serbia and was electric, constantly dribbling at his man and making things happen whether it was driving to the byline and crossing the ball in or coming inside to pass or shoot, how he only walked away with 2 goal involvements I am still unsure, he is starting to mature in my view and really take games by the scruff of the neck. I would like to start seeing him do this for Chelsea soon.
https://twitter.com/MaxLondonsFirst/status/1712569841062748504
A slightly different role beckoned against Ukraine, he started as a centre forward until Liam Delap came on which meant Noni pushed out to his more natural right-wing, he did okay as a centre forward but you can see why he plays wide, he enjoys space to run into and the ability to be direct, it is a lot harder to do that playing in the middle of the pitch.
https://twitter.com/CFCD10_/status/1714194065258910151
Overall Summary:
Noni is slowly but surely progressing into the type of player I believe he can be, but doing it at U21 level is one thing, he needs to start making these impacts for Chelsea, whenever he gets a chance he has to show the ruthlessness and determination to break into the team, he is arguably 4th choice at the minute with more room to fall down the pecking order.
I don’t expect him to start in the next couple of league games but I do expect him to get 90 v Blackburn in the cup and he needs to start staking his claim from there, he has proved his fitness on international duty, so if Poch continues to not select him or leave him as an unused sub to me that means he isn’t showing his full potential in training.
I have high high hopes for this man and I hope we start to see him get more comfortable and expressive in a Chelsea shirt, very soon.
Luke Rushbrook