Chelsea are playing Ben Chilwell on the left-wing over Mykhailo Mudryk because Mauricio Pochettino has concerns about the latter defensively.
That is according to Evening Standard journalist Nizaar Kinsella.
Speaking about the situation involving Ben Chilwell and Mykhailo Mudryk, Kinsella posted on Twitter: “A lot of focus is on Mudryk’s lack of goals for Chelsea so far but I think a bigger issue is actually his impact off-the-ball, particularly defensively. That’s why Chelsea currently play Chilwell on the wing instead, more in the pod [London Is Blue Podcast].”
Sacrificing a natural attacker for Chilwell has not exactly made Chelsea defensively solid.
The Blues have still conceded five Premier League goals this season and have only managed to keep one clean sheet, which came against newly-promoted Luton Town.
Ben Chilwell cannot play left-wing forever
It is surely only a matter of time before this experiment by Pochettino ends. Starting a left-back in his attack seems very counterproductive, at least going forward anyway.
Offensively, Chelsea are by no means the best outfit in the Premier League. In fact, despite all of the money that they have spent and the amount of talent currently at Stamford Bridge, they are probably one of the worst.
For example, last season, the Blues only managed to score 38 goals in the top flight. Putting a defender in attack certainly does not fix that.
Given his struggles in west London, Mudryk may not either. But most Chelsea fans will probably want to see the Ukraine international or Noni Madueke given a place in the frontline over Chilwell, who, as a left-back, just does not possess the same kind of attacking talent as his two team-mates.
Pochettino’s side lost last time out, falling to a 1-0 defeat against Nottingham Forest, so perhaps change is on the horizon.
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