Chelsea continue to go from strength to strength, beating Southampton 5-1, and becoming the top scorers in the Premier League this season with 31 goals. Strikes from Axel Disasi, Christopher Nkunku, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer and Jadon Sancho secured the points for the Blues.
The visitors to the South Coast held 55% possession, taking 26 shots in the game, and creating 12 big chances. This victory for Chelsea took them to second in the Premier League, ahead of Arsenal now on goal difference, and seven points behind Liverpool, who lead the pack.
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interestingly, Enzo Maresca made yet another tactical adjustment for this game to give Chelsea the edge, forming a new shape on the ball.
Maresca's tactical tweak
Chelsea set up in a 4-2-3-1 on paper, making seven changes from the team that beat Aston Villa at the weekend. Rotation is something we have seen regularly from Maresca, often making 11 changes in cup competitions.
Against the Saints, Chelsea set up in a 2-2-5-1 on the ball, looking to overload Southampton’s back five in the last line with six forwards (five behind the striker). This allowed the Blues to still retain a man advantage in their build-up (2-2 base vs Southampton's three-man front press), whilst also overloading their back line with six against five.
This tactical tweak from Maresca saw Chelsea record the highest xG total by a team away from home in the Premier League since these stats were recorded (2008/09). The Blues generated 5.29 xG, scoring five goals, and creating 12 big chances.
Chelsea managed to get Palmer, Joao Felix and Enzo Fernandez into dangerous areas on the ball, popping up in both wide and central zones, with the freedom to rotate in the half spaces and put their print on the game, which was seen by the performances of all three.
Enzo + Maresca
With Felix and Fernandez on either side of him, Palmer had the most freedom to roam into either side of the pitch, link play, and find himself in dangerous areas around the box, which saw him get his goal around the 76th minute, just before he was subbed off.
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Cole Palmer's performance in numbers
So far this season, Palmer has made 16 appearances so far this season, with 14 of those appearances coming from this preferred central zone Maresca has found for him, rather than the right-wing, where he often played under Mauricio Pochettino last season. In those 16 games, the 22-year-old has scored nine goals and provided six assists, totalling 1,260 minutes.
Giving your best players the freedom to roam and pick up the ball in different areas of the pitch will always keep the opposition guessing, and when you have an asset like Palmer who isn't just effective in the final third but is also brilliant at progressing play and helping in the build-up phase, this central role is absolutely perfect for him.
Cole Palmer vs Southampton
Stat
Minutes
Goals
Touches
Accurate Passes
Key Passes
Crosses
Shots Total
Ground Duels Won
Interceptions
Stats taken from Sofascore
As always, the England international was decisive with his touches, creating chances for his teammates, and then getting his goal by ghosting into the box to finish a chance carved by Nkunku, who chopped inside and looked to slot the ball into the net, for Palmer to come and tap it in, making sure of the goal.
Chelsea star Cole Palmer
One player he has been linking up with brilliantly on the right side of the field is Noni Madueke, who is showing signs of becoming Chelsea's answer to Mohamed Salah.
Chelsea's very own Salah
Madueke has taken huge strides to become a key figure for the Blues this season, making 16 appearances in all competitions, scoring six goals, providing two assists, and totalling 1,066 minutes.
Against Southampton, Madueke caught the eye with his goal and assist. He also had 58 touches, made a key pass, completed three crosses, succeeded with two of his four dribble attempts, and took seven shots, five of which were on target.
His overall impact on the game was key, as he was often the outlet in wide areas, finding 1v1 isolations with Ryan Manning and looking to make something happen by being direct.
Madueke vs Salah comparison
Stats (per 90 mins)
Goals
Assists
xG
Progressive Carries
Progressive Passes
Shots Total
Shots on Target
Key Passes
Shot-Creating Actions
Successful Take-Ons
Carries into Pen Area
Stats taken from FBref
When comparing the metrics of the players above, the standout difference is the output of Salah, who is scoring 0.79 goals, assisting 0.63 goals, and generating 0.66 xG per 90. His decision-making is at the elite level, compared to Madueke, who is still finding his way in this regard.
Mohamed Salah for Liverpool
The similarities, however, are definitely there, as both are very direct on their right flank, making penetrative runs in behind, driving the ball into the penalty area (something Madueke is actually doing at an even higher rate than Salah this season), and most importantly, having a high shot-volume.
Both Madueke and Salah are often the outlet for their teams, who like to work the ball through the thirds, before finding them in these wide right zones, to isolate them 1v1 with a fullback, and give them the best possible platform to create something for either themselves, or their teammates.
The persistence and direct nature of Madueke is what makes him a nightmare for defenders, and if he continues to add extra G/A to his game, as he has shown signs of so far this season, he could well be Chelsea's very own Salah.
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