Callum Hudson-Odoi believes that, despite being asked to fill a wing-back role under Thomas Tuchel, he should be looking to provide a goal or assist in every game he plays for Chelsea.
The ambitious 20-year-old has hit the back of the net 13 times for the Blues in 86 appearances and teed up 15 efforts for team-mates.
He believes he is capable of offering much more in a bid to become a player that “every team fears”, and is looking to replicate a youth team record that saw him hit 31 goals in 55 starts across various age groups.
What has been said?
Hudson-Odoi told Chelsea’s official website: “In the academy days, when you’re seeing numbers like that you’re like ‘wow’ and you want to try and replicate that in the first team as well but it’s obviously a much tougher league and it’s hard to get goals.
“You want to be that player who every team fears and where you have a target to get a goal or an assist for the team in every match you play, to help the team as much as possible because that contributes at the end of the game. You scoring or assisting helps the team win so I look at it like that.
Next Match
“If I can get a goal one game and then maybe the next game I get an assist and the next game a goal again, it’s helpful for all aspects. I want to be one of those players that you know is regularly on the scoresheet.”
How has Hudson-Odoi been getting on?
The Stamford Bridge academy graduate burst onto the senior stage as a winger, with his speed and direct running allowing him to nail down a regular role.
Injury problems have stunted his progress since then, but Tuchel has found a way of shoehorning obvious potential into his plans.
Hudson-Odoi has been thriving in an unfamiliar role that requires him to impact proceedings at both ends of the field.
He is relishing that responsibility having made 25 appearances across all competitions this season, and believes there is still more to come.
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“I feel especially playing as a wing-back or in a winger’s position, you want to be getting to the back post and getting those tap-ins,” Hudson-Odoi said. “Every goal counts at the end of the day so no matter what it is, you want to be getting on the scoresheet or getting assists and helping the team as much as possible.
“I’ve said to myself that whenever I’m around the box, I want to be more clinical and more ruthless, take my chances when they come and hopefully hit the back of the net more often. The tap-ins are the best ones to get at the back post on the blindside of the defender.
“I haven’t set a specific target for myself but I just try to score as many as possible. It’s good to know we’ve got the players around who are capable of getting the ball into the back post as well for those tap-ins or finding cutbacks or playing crucial passes to get you in on goal.
“I’ve just got to make sure I keep getting in those positions to try and get a shot away and hopefully that goes in the back of the net.”