'He is a nightmare': Sky pundit thinks Chelsea have a 'breathtaking' player alongside Cole Palmer

10/09/2024 02:45 PM

Cole Palmer is rightfully receiving all the plaudits for helping Chelsea be in such a healthy position after seven Premier League matches.

Many wonder where Chelsea would be without Palmer because they certainly wouldn't be in Europe after their sixth-placed finish under Mauricio Pochettino last time out. 

The new campaign, under Enzo Maresca, has started off much better, with Chelsea currently sitting fourth in the Premier League table.

The London club have only suffered one defeat – against Manchester City – and are also going strongly in the Europa Conference League, but that was expected.

Palmer has been the genius behind it all, but you sense there are other players in the ranks perhaps going under the radar.

Chelsea recorded a 1-1 draw against Nottingham Forest at the weekend, with the Midlands side opening the scoring at Stamford Bridge.

Whilst Palmer got the assist for the equaliser, the man who scored the goal was Noni Madueke after he terrorised Forest’s backline all game.

Stephen Warnock thinks Madueke is a ‘fullback’s worst nightmare’ because he has the ability to go both ways, as he told The Football Show on Sky Sports (07/10/24 at 10:40 am).

The former Premier League left-back added that, whilst Madueke can be ‘frustrating’ at times, he is also ‘breathtaking’ to watch as he displayed against Forest.

Chelsea winger Noni Madueke is a nightmare for defenders

"When you look at him, he is a fullback's worst nightmare because he can go both ways," said Warnock. "I think there are elements of his game where he is breathtaking at times, in the way that he beats players.

"This is the one for a defender where it's very difficult (to deal with). When he is on his run and he's going towards you straight away. He can come inside on that left foot, but drags his shot there (against Nottingham Forest).

"He is hungry to score goals – this is what is good about him, he is happy to go both ways and is happy to go onto that right foot. Not always predictable coming onto that left foot. He is frustrating at times, but this is his brilliance (goal v Forest) and he is a game-changer."

Noni Madueke an England international

It wasn’t so long ago that Madueke was fighting for his Chelsea future, but now he is repping England on the international stage.

The only issue the former Tottenham academy product has is that there is serious competition ahead of him at England.

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Even someone like Palmer can’t earn regular starts for his country, but you sense a lot of that will change given how far he has taken his game.

Palmer will probably deploy a number ten role for England, with Arsenal’s Mr Consistent, Bukayo Saka in his usual right-sided role.