"He needs to understand the game better" - Mauricio Pochettino claims struggling Chelsea star is 'improving'; believes he needs more time
Mykhaylo Mudryk has struggled to justify his £88 million transfer fee since joining Chelsea from Shakhtar Donets in January this summer.
The Ukraine international has shown glimpses of his brilliance down the flanks, especially with his pace and dribbling skills. But the lack of an end product on a consistent basis has frustrated fans at times.
Mudryk, so far, is yet to score for Chelsea in his 21 games across competitions for the club. He started against Bournemouth in his team's Premier League clash at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday (17 September).
However, the 22-year-old was hooked in the 63rd minute after a lackluster display down the left flank. He failed to get a single shot away against the Cherries, failed to find the target with any of the three crosses he attempted and completed just 74% of his passes.
After the game, Pochettino stated that Mudryk is 'improving' but emphasized that he needs time. He told Sky Sports (h/t BBC):
"He [Mudryk] is improving. He still needs to learn in the Premier League, it's very fast. He needs to understand the game better, try to be more connected sometimes with the team. We need to give the time and tools for him to improve during the season."
Chelsea certainly signed Mudryk with the long-term picture in mind, considering he signed an eight-and-a-half-year deal in January. His appearance against Bournemouth was his first start this season after featuring as a second-half substitute in three matches.
Mauricio Pochettino explains why Chelsea star missed Bournemouth clash
Mauricio Pochettino has preferred to play Ben Chilwell as a left-winger of Mykhaylo Mudryk this season.
But the Argentine tactician switched up his lineup against the Cherries and benched Chilwell for the Ukraine international. At left-back, he started Levi Colwill, while Marc Cucurella was entirely left out of the squad.
After the game, Pochettino revealed that the Spanish left-back missed the game at the Vitality Stadium due to illness. He said, via the aforementioned source:
"He was ill. He arrived yesterday before training with a fever."
Cucurella was deemed expendable by the Blues this summer and was close to joining Manchester United in the closing stages of the transfer window. However, the move fell through and the Red Devils signed Sergio Reguilon on loan from Tottenham Hotspur instead.
Cucurella, 25, is yet to play a single minute in the Premier League this season and still has five more years left on his contract at Stamford Bridge.