Enzo Maresca questions Noni Madueke’s work ethic despite goal and assist during Southampton win
Enzo Maresca has called for Noni Madueke to be ‘much, much, much better’ despite his starring role in Chelsea’s latest win. The winger scored and provided an assist in a 5-1 victory away to Southampton on Wednesday night. Many will consider a goal and an assist a good night’s work by MaduekeGetty Maresca feels his player needs to do a lot more, howeverGetty However, his work ethic was questioned by the Blues boss after the match. Madueke teed up Christopher Nkunku to re-establish the visitors’ lead after Joe Aribo cancelled out Axel Disasi’s opener. The England international then added a goal of his own to double their lead before half time. He was hauled off in the 72nd minute, though, before Cole Palmer and his replacement Jadon Sancho added further gloss to the scoreline. Maresca was not entirely satisfied with the 22-year-old’s performance. Speaking after the win, the Italian explained: “Noni can do much more. When he scores and assists and is happy, he starts to drop a little bit. “The reason he was not playing is because of the way he was training. “When he scores one, he needs to keep trying to score and assist. Noni needs to understand he has to work more and he can be much, much, much better.” Madueke’s exploits at St. Mary’s have taken his tally for the season to five goals and two assists in 13 Premier League appearances. It comes after he also turned provider in the win over Aston Villa on Sunday. GettyMadueke played a part in two of Chelsea’s five goals at Southampton[/caption] Following a second victory in four days, Madueke told talkSPORT’s Ian Abrahams: “I could have scored a hat-trick today, quite easily. “But a goal and an assist is okay, I’ll take that. I’ll go into the next game and try and help my team.” As for playing under Maresca, he added: “He’s been great for me. “Not just in terms of the things I like to do, in quotation marks, score goals and beat players, but even in the less pretty parts of football, the defensive part, being reliable. “He’s helped me a lot with that, so yes, credit to him.” Wednesday’s win saw Maresca’s side cut the gap to leaders Liverpool down to seven points after the Reds were held to a 3-3 draw at Newcastle. The Chelsea boss was delighted with the result and claimed that the team ‘are back’ as he referenced fan chants. Blues fans were singing ‘We’ve got our Chelsea back’ during the impressive win and Maresca heard the joy in the stands. He said: “It was a very good feeling because you can see they are happy. That is our target and why we work every day, to keep them happy. “Tonight was a very good feeling especially the one that they can see Chelsea is back, this is the important thing.” Chelsea could reduce the deficit to Liverpool even further on Sunday afternoon this weekend. The Blues visit Tottenham in a London derby before travelling to Kazakhstan to take on Astana in the Europa Conference League in midweek.
Enzo Maresca has called for Noni Madueke to be ‘much, much, much better’ despite his starring role in Chelsea’s latest win.
The winger scored and provided an assist in a 5-1 victory away to Southampton on Wednesday night.
However, his work ethic was questioned by the Blues boss after the match.
Madueke teed up Christopher Nkunku to re-establish the visitors’ lead after Joe Aribo cancelled out Axel Disasi’s opener.
The England international then added a goal of his own to double their lead before half time.
He was hauled off in the 72nd minute, though, before Cole Palmer and his replacement Jadon Sancho added further gloss to the scoreline.
Maresca was not entirely satisfied with the 22-year-old’s performance.
Speaking after the win, the Italian explained: “Noni can do much more. When he scores and assists and is happy, he starts to drop a little bit.
“The reason he was not playing is because of the way he was training.
“When he scores one, he needs to keep trying to score and assist. Noni needs to understand he has to work more and he can be much, much, much better.”
Madueke’s exploits at St. Mary’s have taken his tally for the season to five goals and two assists in 13 Premier League appearances.
It comes after he also turned provider in the win over Aston Villa on Sunday.
Following a second victory in four days, Madueke told talkSPORT’s Ian Abrahams: “I could have scored a hat-trick today, quite easily.
“But a goal and an assist is okay, I’ll take that. I’ll go into the next game and try and help my team.”
As for playing under Maresca, he added: “He’s been great for me.
“Not just in terms of the things I like to do, in quotation marks, score goals and beat players, but even in the less pretty parts of football, the defensive part, being reliable.
“He’s helped me a lot with that, so yes, credit to him.”
Wednesday’s win saw Maresca’s side cut the gap to leaders Liverpool down to seven points after the Reds were held to a 3-3 draw at Newcastle.
The Chelsea boss was delighted with the result and claimed that the team ‘are back’ as he referenced fan chants.
Blues fans were singing ‘We’ve got our Chelsea back’ during the impressive win and Maresca heard the joy in the stands.
He said: “It was a very good feeling because you can see they are happy. That is our target and why we work every day, to keep them happy.
“Tonight was a very good feeling especially the one that they can see Chelsea is back, this is the important thing.”
Chelsea could reduce the deficit to Liverpool even further on Sunday afternoon this weekend.
The Blues visit Tottenham in a London derby before travelling to Kazakhstan to take on Astana in the Europa Conference League in midweek.
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