This part of the season has been quite a tricky period for Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca.
Maresca has lost quite a few of his key players to injuries, including Nicolas Jackson and Noni Madueke. Jackson and Madueke are two of Chelsea‘s top scorers this term, so losing them has been a blow.
Rank Chelsea’s top scorers Goals
1. Cole Palmer 14
2. Nicolas Jackson 9
3. Noni Madueke 7
4. Marc Cucurella/Enzo Fernandez 4
Premier League only
Other members of the squad have had to try and step up, such as Marc Cucurella. It was the left-back who scored Chelsea’s winning goal against Leicester City last weekend.
One player who has come through the club’s academy is also doing his part as the Blues try to finish the campaign strongly.
Photo credit should read Michael Barrett Boesen / GocherImagery/Future Publishing via Getty Images
Photo credit should read Michael Barrett Boesen / GocherImagery/Future Publishing via Getty Images
Enzo Maresca hoped Tyrique George could help Chelsea this season
Tyrique George, who has risen through the ranks at Cobham, made his Chelsea first-team debut all the way back in August after appearing in the second leg of the Blues’ Conference League play-off tie against Servette.
Since then, Maresca has gone on record to say that he thinks the young winger can help his Chelsea side this season.
When Maresca discussed George last month, he said: “For sure, he’s a young one. He’s not probably ready 100 per cent. But because of the amount of injuries we have, we need to use the ones we have.
“Ty is a young profile, he’s doing well… Hopefully we can give him more chances and he can help us.”
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George has done just that, contributing to Chelsea’s last three victories against Leicester City, Copenhagen and Southampton.
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Photo by Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Tyrique George’s performances against Leicester, Copenhagen and Southampton
George did not make too much of an impact against Leicester last weekend, but with Madueke and Mykhailo Mudryk unavailable and Pedro Neto now having to play up front, the 19-year-old has at least given Maresca another option out wide.
In Chelsea’s wins over Copenhagen and Southampton, he was able to have more of an influence, registering an assist in each of those matches.
George actually played the full 90 minutes against Copenhagen, helping the Blues to win 2-1 and take a one-goal advantage into the second leg of their last-16 Conference League tie.
Despite only being on the pitch for 22 minutes against Southampton, the England U19 international also managed to register three key passes, while he had one big chance as well.
Tyrique George’s last three games Minutes Goals Assists Touches Accurate passes Key passes Big chances missed Shots
Leicester 17 0 0 9 3/6 (50%) 1 0 0
Copenhagen 90 0 1 30 18/19 (95%) 1 0 1
Southampton 22 0 1 13 12/12 (100%) 3 1 1
Via Sofascore
All in all, it definitely would be fair to say that George is helping out Chelsea right now. With the team missing some of their usual wide options for different reasons, he has become a useful player for Maresca.