Mauricio Pochettino warns Chelsea star Mykhaylo Mudryk to find his form if he wishes to start in matches
Mauricio Pochettino explains why he hasn’t used Chelsea star Mykhaylo Mudryk often after the star forward has come off the bench in past matches. Mudryk is still a long way from being fully matured, and it looks like he might need another season to evolve.
Pochettino feels his coaching staff starts players based on how well they train, and this is the reason the forward hasn’t been put in the starting lineup in the last few matches.
Mudryk’s form has certainly suffered a dip, as the forward seems lacklustre in the matches. This has seen the 23-year-old fall down the pecking order, and now Raheem Sterling has been starting matches.
The former Shakhtar Donetsk player has scored four goals this season in 24 matches across all competitions. And when asked why Mudryk has been overlooked by the Argentine manager, (h/t Evening Standard), he said:
“Yes, now he is on the bench. Look, it’s about the form during the season—if you keep your form and are the best during every training session. As coaching staff, we are a meritocracy; we are going to play with the players who are going to do their best on the pitch.”
Since Mudryk is still a young player, he may experience occasional slumps in performance. With time, consistency might become a part of his game.
Pochettino has used more experienced players on the wings, such as Sterling, and now that Christopher Nkunku has returned, the Argentine will have more options on the left wing. Until he finds his form, we can see him playing as a substitute.
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If Mudryk wants to start in every game, he will need to hone his form. He possesses the skill to develop into one of the most gifted players, but to do so, he will need to maintain consistency and demonstrate that he has what it takes to start every game.