Chelsea winger Noni Madueke has come under fire from fans following his performance in the team’s 3-0 victory over West Ham United on September 21. While the match was a comfortable win for Chelsea, with an early goal by Nicolas Jackson just four minutes into the game and another from him in the 18th minute, Madueke’s contribution was seen as lackluster. Jackson’s first goal came from an assist by Jadon Sancho, and his second was set up by a pass from Moisés Caicedo. After halftime, Cole Palmer added a third goal for Chelsea, with Jackson also providing the assist.
Although Chelsea secured their third Premier League win of the season, criticism towards Madueke centered on his perceived selfish play during the match. Fans pointed out several missed opportunities where the winger could have passed the ball to improve the team’s chances of scoring. Despite his recent strong performance, including a hat-trick in a previous match against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Madueke only managed one key pass during the game against West Ham, which left fans frustrated with his lack of involvement and teamwork.
Social media reactions were filled with comments on Madueke’s performance, with many fans expressing disappointment at his failure to make better decisions in key moments. Some accused him of being overly selfish and not playing for the benefit of the team, while others simply noted that his performance did not live up to the expectations he had set in previous games. Chelsea fans, celebrating the team’s third league win, were particularly vocal about the young winger’s performance, despite the overall positive result for the club.
Madueke joined Chelsea on a seven-and-a-half-year deal for around €35 million and has had a promising start to the season, scoring four goals in six appearances. However, his showing in this match against West Ham has raised questions about his consistency and ability to perform at a high level in every game.
Meanwhile, Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca also addressed the media following the West Ham match, discussing his plans for the upcoming January transfer window. After spending €238.5 million on 11 new players last summer, while selling 11 others for €198 million, Maresca emphasized the importance of making more strategic and precise additions to the squad. He acknowledged that rivals like Manchester City and Arsenal are currently ahead of Chelsea in terms of performance but stressed that the team’s goal is to make carefully planned moves to improve their squad depth and competitiveness.
Additionally, with the win against West Ham, Maresca became the first Chelsea manager since September 2016 to win all of his first three Premier League away games, a notable achievement for the new coach.
