Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek faced similar injuries at the end of last season. The former’s challenges at Chelsea inform on the latter’s.
The seeds of the youth revolution this season were planted this season. Not just the need for the club to feel like itself again and give chances on merit, but also the appearances of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Callum Hudson-Odoi.
Both took time to get a look last season with at least one needed board intervention. They both deserved and continued to earn their chances. But then injury stole both away at the end of the season and perhaps even more than that.
Achilles tendon injuries can be incredibly tricky to rebound from. Hudson-Odoi has already shown that this season. Despite some initial great substitute appearances, recent weeks have seen him struggle to make the same impact. The criticism has been overblown, of course, but it is also fair to say he has not had the best go of it. That is worth keeping in mind for Loftus-Cheek.
The main thing that seems to be out of Hudson-Odoi’s game right now is his trust in his pace. Last season he would often linger on the defensive line waiting for a ball in behind. For club and country this season, he has been dropping deeper and getting more involved in the buildup. That is fine on its own, but it is not Hudson-Odoi’s best skill set.
He still wants to dribble and take players on but it is pretty clear that he has gotten somewhat rusty during his time off. That can all come back of course, but he will need to get the confidence and trust in himself back.
Loftus-Cheek will surely face similar challenges when he returns. While pure speed was never part of his game, it is a strength he leaned on at times last season. He would receive the ball and drive forward into spaces not unlike Mateo Kovacic this season. But if his pace is affected by his injury, he will need to rely more on his passing and positioning. He does have those skills as well, but it will change how he uses him.
Then there is the matter of the rest of his injuries. An injury anywhere generally puts a player more at risk of injuries everywhere. And even before his Achilles tendon injury, Loftus-Cheek was hardly the healthiest player. In his last two seasons, he has spent nearly a third of each year sidelined by some injury or another. Adding this major one on top and things will not get better.
The main thing to keep in mind with these players is that an injury layoff this long will have its effects. They may never be quite the same but that does not mean they will be bad. It will just mean that their games may have to change and fans need to remain patient.
Hudson-Odoi is back, but it may be a few months yet before he is truly back. The same will hold true for Loftus-Cheek. These are delicate situations but these are also good players who can find their way back, even if it has to be a new way.