Chelsea extended their winning run to three matches in the Premier League as they secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
The Blues came out on top in an entertaining clash at the City Ground to move level on points with Newcastle United in sixth place, behind them on goal difference, as it stands.
Mauricio Pochettino's side led through Mykhailo Mudryk before goals from Willy Boly and Callum Hudson-Odoi put the hosts in front. However, late strikes from substitute Raheem Sterling and centre-forward Nicolas Jackson ensured that the London giants came away with the win.
Despite the victory, there were some negatives to take from the match and one was the performance of Noni Madueke on the right flank, as the winger has just made himself droppable.
Noni Madueke's undroppable form
Earlier this month, FFC published an article explaining why the England U21 international was undroppable on the basis of his impressive form at the time.
In his six Premier League appearances heading into Saturday's clash with Forest, Madueke had scored three goals and provided two assists – almost one direct goal contribution every game on average.
Appearances
21
Starts
11
Goals
5
Assists
2
Big chances created
2
Dribbles completed
1.5
The left-footed wizard had created ten chances and completed 14 dribbles in his last three league outings prior to the trip to the City Ground, and these statistics speak to his goalscoring prowess, creativity, and dribbling skill.
His sensational form in the final third from a right wing position made it seem impossible for Pochettino to consider dropping him down to the bench.
Unfortunately, Madueke may have just made himself droppable after a notably dismal showing on Saturday, that may have erased the work he put in to make himself a mainstay in the starting XI.
Why Noni Madueke is now droppable
The former PSV star, who was handed a 4/10 player rating by GOAL reporter Stephen Darwin, endured a frustrating evening against Forest.
His match was summed up by the fact that Chelsea goalkeeper Dorde Petrovic had more touches of the ball (37) than the talented winger (27) as the forward failed to get involved in the game and often lost possession when he did.
The 22-year-old lightweight lost the ball 12 times from those 27 touches – almost once every other touch – as the opposition found it far too easy to dispossess the dynamo.
Madueke failed in all six of his attempted dribbles and did not create a single chance, as former Blues academy graduate Ola Aina kept him quiet, in 58 minutes on the pitch.
The English lightweight was also a liability off the ball for Pochettino as he lost 91% (10/11) of his duels throughout the game, which shows that the Forest defenders dominated him in physical contests all evening.
This disappointing showing from the forward, coupled with Sterling's goal off the bench and Christopher Nkunku's return from injury, may just have made him droppable.
That is not to say that the Argentine head coach should or will place him on the bench next time out but Madueke can have no complaints if he is dropped, on the basis of this disasterclass of a performance.