Mykhailo Mudryk was left out of Chelsea’s squad for Sunday’s game against Liverpool, and given so much money was spent on him, that was always going to bring questions.
Today he was asked about “when” the Ukraine winger can fulfil his potential, and gave a pretty straightforward answer:
“When? I don’t know. We try to work with Misha every day and hopefully he can get better and better day by day with us. It’s more or less like Joao [Felix]; he is doing well. The thing is in the moment there are more players doing well. When they get the chance, they need to take it,” Maresca explained.
The team are playing well, especially in attack, and as it stands both Jadon Sancho and Pedro Neto seem to be ahead of Mudryk in the pecking order, hence his exclusion.
Chances in the cup like tomorrow will be vital for the youngster, but he absolutely needs to do more when he gets those chances. Joao Felix, also mentioned by the coach in his answer, did make the bench for Sunday’s game, but didn’t get on the pitch.
Mudryk not the only issue on Maresca’s mind
There was another thread from Sunday picked out in this presser – the narrative that Chelsea are conceding easy goals which the coach is really pushing back against. On Sunday he insisted that the goals we let in (one a silly penalty, one a piece of bad communication between defender and goalkeeper) were the sort of goals that could be conceded by anyone.
“I don’t agree we are conceding easy goals. I think we are conceding goals like the rest of the clubs. Tomorrow with a full stadium, hopefully we don’t concede the goals,” he insisted today.
Let’s hope so – our defensive record needs to improve in this next phase of the season.
