Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi shared how new manager Thomas Tuchel has helped him adapt to the right wing-back role.
The 20-year-old is arguably one of the reasons why Tuchel’s 3-4-3 has worked really well at Chelsea so far.
Hudson-Odoi’s natural pace and ability to beat defenders in one-on-one situations have given Chelsea a new dimension in attack.
It is not a surprise that he has featured in all five games under Tuchel so far.
Interestingly, Hudson-Odoi admitted that he was initially surprised by Tuchel’s decision.
“I’ve never played wing-back or thought about playing there,” he told Chelsea’s official website.
“So getting told I was going to play there was certainly something new to me but the manager helped me really well.
“He was explaining stuff, how to play that position, the things to do going forward and coming back.
“[It] was really helpful for me to get ready for the game.
“I watched some clips with him as well before the game to understand the positioning a bit so it helped me a lot and it was good to play there.
“Hopefully I can keep improving and hopefully keep doing well there.”
Chronicle view
Introducing a player to a different role is not something new for Tuchel.
At Paris Saint-Germain, he also raised a lot of eyebrows when he deployed Marquinhos, who is a natural centre-back, in midfield.
Tuchel had absolute faith in Marquinhos’ abilities as a defensive midfielder to the point that he described the Brazilian as the “heart and soul” of his PSG team (Ligue 1’s official website).
Early signs suggest Hudson-Odoi’s new role could have a similarly significant impact on Tuchel’s Chelsea.
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