It’s yet another season at Chelsea, where the No.9 position has been a huge talking point. But apparently, there’s a secret weapon in the Blues squad who’s got the capability to play as a striker in the future.
First of all, we must give credit to Blues star Nicolas Jackson for his efforts leading the line during his debut campaign in English football. He’s up to 12 goals so far across all competitions as the main central forward.
Incidentally, speaking via Football.London this month, Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino said that Jackson is doing really well at Stamford Bridge.
However, it’s been suggested that there’s a Chelsea winger capable of playing down the middle and competing with Jackson.
Most Chelsea fans will know Mykhailo Mudryk as their rapid youngster who’s most commonly deployed as a left-winger, albeit there’s occasions lately he’s played as a No 10.
It’s now been claimed by one of his international teammates that he could easily work as a striker.
Ukraine star Georgiy Sudakov, who’s an international teammate of Mudryk, thinks the Chelsea winger can play as a centre-forward.
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Sudakov told 90min: “Mykhailo is a talented player, he can play in any position, not only on the wing, he can play in the centre of the field, as a centre forward. I am sure that he has a bright future ahead of him at Chelsea. It just requires time, and people should trust him.”
“Mykhailo and I talk every day, and in some situations I learn from him and he gives me advice. He’s having new challenges at Chelsea this season, but he is a very talented player with very big ambitions. I think he has a great future.”
Mykhailo Mudryk is still a novice learning his game
Unlike a lot of 23-year-olds in the Premier League, Mudryk can still be counted as quite inexperienced.
We’ll stress he’s not performing as well or consistently as he should be, but the Ukrainian has so much more room to grow and improve.
Let’s just point out he’s only played 47 first-team games for Chelsea, plus 44 senior matches for Shakhtar Donetsk before coming to west London.
Mudryk position
His blistering pace and dribbling makes him look tailor-made for a wide position, but the more he plays the more comfortable he looks when he drifts infield.
We’re not ready to buy into suggestions he should be trialed as the frontman spearheading the attack. We do like him in No 10 pockets receiving the ball on the half-turn, though.
Speaking via ITV4 Football in February, pundit Lee Dixon said that he prefers Mudryk playing in the central No 10 position.
