Former Chelsea defender Mario Melchiot has been discussing Noni Madueke and how his game has transformed under Enzo Maresca.
Noni Madueke has been a key player for Enzo Maresca this season. The winger has made 11 starts and 12 appearances in total in the Premier League.
Across those games, Madueke has scored four goals and set up another, with his first assist of the campaign coming against Aston Villa last weekend.
His increased productivity in attack is not the thing that has impressed Melchiot the most, though. He was dropped for the 3-0 victory over Villa, but Madueke will be hoping to start against Southampton later.
Noni Madueke of Chelsea reacts during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Aston Villa FC at Stamford Bridge on December 01, 2024 in Lon...
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Mario Melchiot on Noni Madueke’s transformation under Enzo Maresca at Chelsea
Watching Chelsea this season, Melchiot feels that Maresca’s men are running back and working hard on the pitch.
And the retired Netherlands international used Madueke as an example, explaining that the 22-year-old has changed his game and is now starting to track back.
Speaking about Chelsea on ESPN, Melchiot said: “Everybody’s running back. I’ll give an example, one player, Madueke. Madueke came there and he had that swagger of like, ‘I know I’m good’ and he changed his game and started tracking back. Maresca likes him now.”
Overall, Madueke has had a good season at Chelsea so far. However, Madueke has admitted that he has not always performed in a blue shirt.
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Noni Madueke’s stats this season
Alongside Wesley Fofana, Madueke has the seventh-highest average in Chelsea’s squad for tackles per league game, which is really not that bad.
Pressing high under Maresca, you would suspect that the England international’s challenges are coming in the opposition’s half.
Madueke is in the team to attack, though, and he has obviously not done a bad job in that department.
Noni Madueke’s stats Total
Games 12
Goals 4
Assists 1
Shots (per game) 2.9
Key passes (per game) 1.1
Dribbles (per game) 1.5
Tackles (per game) 1.1
Via WhoScored
Chelsea paid PSV Eindhoven around £29m to sign Madueke in 2023. Fast forward to now, and it looks like a real bargain.
Madueke has been a regular under Maresca this season and gone on to become a full England international. He is still only 22 as well, so Chelsea will be expecting Madueke to develop into an even more effective wide man, one who still tracks back Maresca will be hoping.
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