Noni Madueke could be set for a major role in the Chelsea team during the final weeks of the season, according to Pat Nevin.
The former Blues player has lauded the 21-year-old for his performance in the win at Bournemouth, which was Frank Lampard’s first in his spell as interim manager.
Having been handed starting berths against both the Cherries and Arsenal, Nevin sees Madueke as almost “undroppable” and as a breath of fresh air in the team.
“It wasn’t just his goal but his all-round positive attitude that caught everyone’s attention,” he wrote for the club website.
“The bravery to want the ball, all the time and the willingness to take those chances and at least try to beat his man, was an incredible breath of fresh air.
“You also have to have the skill to beat players and he has certainly shown no deficiency in that area. Add on top of that his tenacity and some blinding pace to boot, and suddenly he has jumped from being a young outsider to being close to undroppable.
“He wasn’t dropped by Frank Lampard after Arsenal and once again showed a Premier League defender at Bournemouth that he is a serious handful who is quickly growing in stature.
“It sometimes seems odd that you need to tell players, especially creative ones, that they need to take players on, be willing to make mistakes or even lose the ball in the final third, but you have to do that with some players, particularly but not always the younger ones.”
