Sheffield Wednesday are a better club than at least two of Chelsea’s Europa League opponents. In a vacuum, Maurizio Sarri may have preferred to play a stronger XI against the Championship’s 17th place side. But because he didn’t take the opportunities earlier he is scrambling to make up for them.
Callum Hudson-Odoi’s start came across as a final chance for Maurizio Sarri and Chelsea fans to convince Hudson-Odoi of how much they really do want him to stay, even if every action from the former has pointed in the other direction. Ampadu was there to witness and hopefully absorb some reflected glory. “You see, Ethan, how they cheer his name? See how all your hard work in training has paid off? That will be you, too, as long as you don’t get any crazy ideas about leaving.”
Of course, the only reason the fans had the chance to cheer his name was because Hudson-Odoi already has some very reasonable ideas about leaving. Hudson-Odoi has played more minutes in January than he did between opening day and December 31. Before Sunday, Sarri only started Hudson-Odoi in dead rubbers in the Europa League.
Gee, what might have changed? What could have happened to make Maurizio Sarri suddenly reconsider Hudson-Odoi’s place in the side and importance to the team?
For Ethan Ampadu, what changed was a gap between him and Jorginho in the depth chart. The transfer window closes in four days and the Blues have made no progress on replacing Cesc Fabregas. Paris Saint-Germain swooped in for Leandro Paredes, and Nicolo Barrella fell off the radar as quickly as he came on. Barring a deadline day surprise, Ampadu is the new top backup to Jorginho.
Ampadu’s passing was far better than his positioning against Sheffield Wednesday. He seemed stuck between two minds: how he has played in midfield for Wales and how he is expected to play at the base of midfield for Chelsea. He continually ran into Ross Barkley in the first half, and for most of the game he was a few steps or even an entire zone over from where he was supposed to be.
Perhaps if Ampadu had spent more time playing for Chelsea than for Wales in the last six months he would not have had such a conflict. But since August, he has 272 minutes for Chelsea’s first team and 321 minutes for Wales.
Maurizio Sarri will now either put Ethan Ampadu on a crash course to learn in a matter of days or weeks what he should have been learning by playing regularly over the last few months; or he will invest heavily in rabbits’ feet to keep the injury gods shining down on Jorginho.
Maurizio Sarri did not play Callum Hudson-Odoi or Ethan Ampadu when it was purely a matter of choice. From August through December, Sarri controlled nearly all the decision points. For whatever reasons, he felt he was better off not playing them.
The consequences of those decisions are a transfer request from Hudson-Odoi and the possibility that Ampadu will have to cover for Jorginho in all competitions if Jorginho gets hurt or suspended. Sarri could have spent the last few months developing these players as part of a functional, integrated and experienced squad. Because he didn’t, he is giving Hudson-Odoi a compressed and superficial charm offensive. He is hoping that an FA Cup game against Sheffield Wednesday will turn Hudson-Odoi’s head from regular league and perhaps Champions League appearances with Bayern Munich.
Because Sarri did not give Ampadu a chance to learn against PAOK, BATE, Derby, Fulham and Southampton, he may have to throw an under-prepared Ampadu against Manchester City, Wolves, Tottenham or Liverpool. Ampadu could have to learn against opponents who are quite unforgiving of such things.
Contrary to what you may hear on ChelsTwit, the alternative to Sarri’s minimal youth involvement is not to start them in every Premier League game. Sadly, Sarri seems to accept this imbecilic dichotomy, at least insofar as it reflects his priorities. But even for a manager so stubbornly ideological as Sarri, external realities have a way of exerting their influence.
Cesc Fabregas’ departure and Callum Hudson-Odoi’s imminent departure were the two biggest factors in Hudson-Odoi and Ethan Ampadu starting against Sheffield Wednesday. If we figured this out, these youngsters surely have, too. And that means they will not be mollified by the reluctant gesture.