Having lost three of their last four games, Chelsea are certainly struggling right now. Now languishing in eighth place, the Blues need to get back in shape and quickly. And, with Hakim Ziyech still out, if anyone can provide the spark Chelsea so desperately need, it will be Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Young Chelsea Callum Hudson-Odoi will have a massive impact
Natural extreme
As simple as it may sound, one of the main reasons Hudson-Odoi could change the team drastically is because he is a winger. Not Timo Werner, not Kai Havertz, but a true and true winger.
Werner has been struggling lately and that may have a lot to do with his wing play. Although he is incredibly fast, he lacks the control or dribbling ability to be a great winger. He has continued to work hard for the team but is not producing any notable attacking output.
The German is a player who makes runs behind the defense and finishes clinically, he is not a player to isolate one against one against a rival side. In his 45 minutes against Arsenal, he contributed absolutely nothing. But that’s where Hudson-Odoi comes in.
Pacing is not everything for a winger, and Werner has shown it. However, Hudson-Odoi has everything he needs to excel in the Chelsea band. His fascinating dribbling, combined with a very precise crossing and a quick change of pace, could be the key to beating Aston Villa on Monday.
With Hudson-Odoi on the right and Christian Pulisic on the left, Chelsea finally has two natural wingers that could open up Villa’s defense.
Puts other Chelsea stars in preferred positions
The concern that both Ziyech and Hudson-Odoi suffered hamstring injuries within days of each other was that manager Frank Lampard had no one to play with on the right wing. Pulisic has replaced, as have Havertz and Werner. But neither of them play that role as well as the injured duo.
Pulisic may be the closest to replicating them, but he’s clearly much more effective on the left, where he can cut with his right foot.
Of course, Hudson-Odoi is right-handed too, but his game is more about isolating opponents, beating them one-on-one and hitting a good cross. On the contrary, Pulisic enters the middle to link more with the forward, in addition to making more shots on goal.
Werner can now move to the middle as well, where he is at his best. A trio of Werner, Pulisic and Hudson-Odoi could do wonders against Villa, although Tammy Abraham will likely start in the German’s place.
Regardless of who starts at the top, the three attackers could cause a lot of problems for the opposition, and the return of Callum Hudson-Odoi could be the key to getting Chelsea back on the winning track.
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