Chelsea: Lessons learned about CHO, the No. 10 and Jorginho vs. Newcastle
By Nate Hofmann
Some of Chelsea’s best moments against Newcastle were among the most subtle. Callum Hudson-Odoi, Willian and Jorginho drove the victory through the details.
Chelsea know how to attack and are learning how to defend better. Doing so much right against an opponent like Newcastle makes their win more impressive, not less. Here are a few things that have stayed with us since Saturday.
1. Callum Hudson-Odoi does the little things
Let’s start with the obvious: Callum Hudson-Odoi absolutely embarrassed some fools on Saturday. There was no shortage of gif-able moments of magic from the 18-year-old, and there’s every reason to believe that the internet will be feasting on clips of Hudson-Odoi for years to come.
With that said, his most important contribution was perhaps his least eye-catching piece of skill. His assist for Marcos Alonso’s goal was a pass that almost anyone who has kicked a ball could manage, at least in a vacuum. His initial trap of Christian Pulisic’s cross was a nice bit of technique, but the layoff for Alonso was about as simple and understated a pass as you’ll see anywhere.
Given the context, however, it was a masterpiece. Based on how he initially controls the ball from Pulisic, it looks like his first thought was to take a snap shot through traffic, which would have been a perfectly understandable thing to try.
Instead, he pirouettes a full 180 degrees and plays the simplest, safest pass possible in the moment. What’s more, he lays the ball into the open space in front of Alonso, allowing the Spaniard to hit the ball in stride with as much power as possible while not blasting it into the upper deck.
If that ball is played directly to Alonso’s feet, which again would have been understandable given the direction Hudson-Odoi is spinning, that’s not a shooting opportunity, and Chelsea go back to the drawing board.
For all of the magic Callum Hudson-Odoi is capable of, it’s these types of split-second decisions that actually create goals and win matches. It’s a sign of maturity and selflessness, and it underlines just how special a talent Chelsea have on their hands.