Mauricio Pochettino has acknowledged the challenge of integrating Noni Madueke into Chelsea’s starting lineup due to Cole Palmer’s exceptional performance in the same role.
Madueke, who was acquired by Chelsea for £30m from PSV Eindhoven in January 2023, has managed to score seven goals and provide one assist in 37 appearances so far.
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On the other hand, Palmer, a new addition from Manchester City with a transfer fee of £42.5m, has participated in an equal number of matches but with significantly higher output.
The young 21-year-old has impressively notched 19 goals and contributed 13 assists in his 37 appearances for Chelsea. Pochettino is now faced with the task of devising a strategy to include both talents in his starting eleven.
When quizzed about Madueke’s potential on Friday, Chelsea head coach Pochettino said: ‘First of all it’s about to have the space for him.
‘Because when the club signed Cole Palmer, he (Madueke) was also here at the club and they’re in the same position.
‘It’s all about adaptation and trying to find the dynamic where him and Palmer can play together.
‘Hopefully he can be consistent playing in the starting XI and show his quality. But always it’s about to find the right balance in the team.’
Pochettino’s position as Chelsea’s manager is precarious following a disappointing first season that finds the team in ninth place in the Premier League standings, with only eight matches remaining.
In February, there were speculations that Chelsea was contemplating a managerial change, with Jose Mourinho being a potential candidate.
Despite Mourinho’s well-known defensive ‘park the bus’ strategy, Pochettino firmly insists that he does not envision his squad adopting such an approach.
When asked if he’d ever ‘park the bus’, Pochettino said: ‘No (laughs). I don’t want to be philosophical about that.
‘You translate to the players, the philosophy and who you are. It is impossible for us to go and park the bus.’
