Team News: Thomas Tuchel hints at Callum Hudson-Odoi starting for Chelsea against Norwich City
League-leaders Chelsea have the task of taking on relegation-threatened, 20th-placed Norwich City this weekend and Callum Hudson-Odoi would be hoping to see his name on the team-sheet for this clash. The Blues have been handed a double blow in attack ahead of this clash.
Both Timo Werner and Romelu Lukaku are ruled out for this clash as the duo also failed to feature in this week’s UEFA Champions League win against Malmo. Kai Havertz and Callum Hudson-Odoi deputized against the Swedes to great effect.
And speaking in an interview ahead of the clash later today (h/t football.london), Tuchel played around with the idea of starting the young English starlet once again.
The former Borussia Dortmund and PSG manager was asked if the game against Malmo was a turning point for Callum. Tuchel answered that the youngster to perform consistently for that European game to be a ‘turning point’, and that a good game against Norwich wouldn’t justify that label.
“He needs to play the next 250 games on the highest level and then that was the turning point. But is it a turning point if he does a brilliant match tomorrow? No. It’s only a turning point if he makes it a turning point and a turning point is only if he does not only do one good match, one good half, 60 good minutes, but if he does it consistently.”
Many players have received a significant boost to their individual careers ever since Tuchel came in earlier this year. But Hudson-Odoi isn’t amonst those lucky individuals.
A bright prospect under Frank Lampard, he has been restricted to substitute appearances under Tuchel and mostly plays down the right-hand flank where his defensive duties are akin to those of Reece James.
More Chelsea News
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- Romelu Lukaku expected to be out for a few weeks due to ankle injury vs Malmo but agent offers hope
Norwich aren’t a great team. They have struggled this season and this offers a great chance for the 20-year-old England international to really get things moving for himself and make it as hard as possible for Tuchel to drop him in the next game- granted he starts today.
