Noni Madueke is optimistic that Chelsea has successfully addressed the goal-scoring challenges that haunted them in the previous season. The England Under-21 international played a crucial role by coming off the bench to secure a 2-1 victory against Crystal Palace on Wednesday, scoring the winning goal from the penalty spot in the 89th minute. Chelsea faced issues last season, scoring only 38 Premier League goals, their lowest in nearly a century.
Michael Olise equalized for Palace just before half-time, nullifying Mykhailo Mudryk’s 13th-minute opener. Despite numerous opportunities for Mudryk, Nicolas Jackson, and Ian Maatsen, Chelsea struggled to increase their lead due to inaccurate finishing and Dean Henderson’s goalkeeping prowess for Palace.
However, with a mid-season tally of 31 goals, Chelsea has shown significant improvement. The return to fitness of Christopher Nkunku, the Bundesliga’s top scorer last season, has further strengthened their attacking options. Madueke, having confidence in the team’s progress, stated, “We play good football and are scoring goals now. I remember last season we weren’t scoring those goals.”
Acknowledging that there is room for improvement in defensive aspects, Madueke emphasized the importance of consistency for Chelsea to become a formidable team. The victory against Crystal Palace marked Chelsea’s third consecutive home league win and their fourth overall in various competitions.
Madueke reflected on his impact from the bench, expressing contentment despite a stop-start campaign with occasional injuries. He looks forward to contributing whether starting or coming off the bench in the next game, leaving the decision to the manager.
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