Why Noni Madueke is likely to feature tonight after Maresca comments | OneFootball

Jadon Sancho’s lack of productivity in front of goal has become a major topic of late, and is the basis behind the growing argument claiming that Chelsea would be better off paying the £5m penalty clause to not sign him from Manchester City than pay the £25m to sign him permanently.

Enzo Maresca told the winger earlier in the season he should shoot more, but when that was raised with him in the press conference yesterday he refused to criticise Sancho directly.

“In terms of our wingers, they arrive there many times, and it’s up to them to decide if they want to cross, if they want to go one v one, or if they want to shoot,” Maresca explained in the embargoed section of his press conference in the buildup to tonight’s game against Tottenham.

“For us it’s important to arrive there [in the final third] with Jadon, with Noni [Madueke], with Pedro [Neto] in a wide space, and then from there create chances.”

Madueke is the only winger in the squad who really shoots a lot – and it’s no coincidence he’s also the only on with a respectable goal return. He is fit to play tonight, and we wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him slot straight back into the side.

Enzo Maresca defends style of play

Chelsea pass map against Crystal Palace.

Maresca also defended his style of football, which has been criticised in some quarters by fans who hate the slow, dreary possession we’ve seen in recent months.

“No matter who is playing, we want to be direct and quick when they press higher, but we cannot be direct and quick when they sit back,” noted Maresca.

“If you go a little bit back in our season, all the games that had the feeling from outside we were attacking quick, were against teams that were trying to press higher.