Chelsea’s squad duels up front: Pulisic vs. Hudson-Odoi, Mount vs. RLC
By Varun Dani
Frank Lampard has the kind of selection dilemma every manager wants. Chelsea have enough talent to staff two winning XI’s, but since they can only play one, these battles will determine who is in the front line.
Three graduates of Chelsea’s academy and a young American are vying for two spots among Chelsea’s attacking line. Ruben Loftus-Cheek is somehow the oldest member of the quartet aiming for the starting XI.
1. Christian Pulisic vs. Callum Hudson-Odoi: Left winger
The hint of the Christian Pulisic – Callum Hudson-Odoi rivalry came very early in preseason when fans debated as who should take over Eden Hazard’s vacant No. 10 jersey. Willian eventually took that number, setting off one of the fascinating narratives that has been ever-present in Chelsea’s season.
Willian has been the only undisputed starting winger, taking over not only Hazard’s number but also this status. He has been the most consistent winger, putting in top displays week in and week out, leading by example on the field. His manager, pundits and (perhaps reluctantly) the fans have all lauded him this season, firmly establishing himself as one of the first names on the team sheet.
That left Pulisic, Hudson-Odoi and Pedro to compete for the left wing position. While Pedro has rightly been used as a squad player, Pulisic and Hudson-Odoi have taken turns putting in magnificent individual displays – just not when they are on the field together.
Hudson-Odoi’s injury gave Pulisic the chance to establish himself at the start of the season. Apart from the game against Liverpool in the UEFA Super Cup when he provided a sublime assist, Pulisic put in notably average performances in the Premier League and League Cup, much to the dismay of the American media.
An unimpressed, wary Lampard dropped him in favour of central midfielder Mason Mount and then went on introduce a fully fit Callum Hudson-Odoi into the line-up. Hudson-Odoi had the perfect comeback, scoring one goal in the League Cup and then making one assist in each of the next three Premier League games as he rose above Pulisic in the pecking order, much to the delight of the academy fans who had been hyping him for months as a “generational talent.”
Hudson-Odoi’s performance levels began to fall, though, as is natural for a young player coming back from a long term injury, opening up the perfect opportunity for Lampard to reintroduce Pulisic.
In a piece of masterful man management, Lampard had let Pulisic settle in after his early struggles. He challenged Pulisic and the American rose to it, with a fire to perform better.
He first impressed in his substitute appearances and then went on to score five goals in three Premier League starts, including a first career hat trick against Burnley. His performances have put him in the driving seat going into the international break, with Hudson-Odoi having to settle for Pulisic’s former place on the bench for now.
Both players have performed better while playing on the left wing, making them direct rivals until they can find a way to play together. Pulisic has tipped the scale in his favour at the moment, but expect plenty of lead changes in this race as the two are extremely talented, very young and will find it difficult to be consistent. This race will help develop the two youngsters into full-fledged professionals and push them to go above and beyond their limits.
Callum “The CHOsen One” Hudson-Odoi vs. Christian “Captain America” Pulisic is going to be joyful, breath-taking ride.