Where do you stand on Callum Hudson-Odoi? Do you believe in the hype?

Callum Hudson-Odoi will divide opinion amongst Chelsea and football fans for that matter. However, after his goal-scoring appearance as a substitute last night against Dynamo Kiev and the fans chanting his name for around twenty minutes before he was introduced from the bench, I want to know if YOU personally believe the hype that surrounds him at the current time? 

Let me start by saying that there is little doubt of his IMMENSE natural talent. He has proven in flashes this season that he has the ability with the ball at his feet, coupled with raw pace to burn to become a real threat in the Premier League and beyond. He has scored a few goals now in the Europa League and is on the right path to becoming what everyone believes that he will be in the future.

What about the other side of his game? The responsibility to work hard in his position without the ball? To make a contribution to the defensive side of his game and to become a vital part of the defensive shape / defensive unit as a whole?

The problem we have at the moment with someone like Hudson-Odoi or "CHO" as he is known these days, is that having been at the club since the age of eight, he would have been guided by the club to develop his natural talent, his attacking qualities that we see in moments today. I would imagine that a small part of his development would focus on the defensive side of things compared to what he does with the ball at his feet and this is something that the coaching staff in addition to Maurizio Sarri would now be working with him to improve.

Speaking last night ( as he had in his pre-match press conference ) of Hudson-Odoi, Maurizio Sarri again answered the expected questions of the call from the fans to see the talented winger start games more often now and to integrate him on a regular basis to the team.

He responded by saying:

"Hudson-Odoi is a very important young player but he is 18 and needs to improve.

He has convinced me he is a very great player. I have my opinion and he cannot be at the top yet.

He needs to improve because he can arrive at the top only at 22 or 23, like every other player.

So, I now think we need to improve without the pressure of the media, without the pressure of the fans, without the pressure of the club.

I think it's very dangerous, at 18, to have this pressure. You have to improve, tactically, mentally and physically at that age." - Source: Goal.com.

In addition last night, making a welcome return as a pundit on the BT Sport coverage, Glenn Hoddle having made a fantastic recovery just three months after suffering Cardiac Arrest, spoke of CHO and was quick to play down the hype. He said:

"He needs to get out there and play, he hasn’t played enough.  

"He hasn’t had 20 games, the amount of time he has had on the pitch is 766 minutes, eight and a half games. They are talking about selling him for £40million. He has not proven anything yet." - Source: Goal.com

The problem that we have with CHO is that there IS a requirement to work hard without the ball in the modern game and especially in this team knowing that Maurizio Sarri demands the high-press, to work to win the ball back high up the pitch but also to make sure that you track back and provide the necessary cover for the full-backs in the wide positions.

We have Eden Hazard who has put a shift in of late without the ball which is good to see and is in the starting eleven for obvious reasons. Willian works hard without the ball and look at Pedro at the moment, scoring goals, creating chances and working back to defend. Hudson-Odoi needs to be at the same levels to compete which is why I do not see him starting anytime soon in the Premier League but to settle for being involved off of the bench.

Whether that is enough to convince him to sign a new contract we just have to wait and see.

What do you think of Callum Hudson-Odoi and the arguments for and against his involvement in the first team at Chelsea?

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