'Absolutely not a big thing': Thomas Tuchel draws line under Callum Hudson-Odoi performance

Tuchel’s decision to withdraw Callum Hudson-Odoi just 31 minutes after introducing the winger as a half-time substitute would have raised eyebrows anywhere

Chelsea's Callum Hudson-Odoi: Was taken off 31 minutes after being introduced on Saturday.

Nobody can say Chelsea weren’t warned.

Thomas Tuchel’s reputation came before him. The German’s single-minded, sometimes abrasive approach has been evident in his previous jobs, where he has been no stranger to conflict and perhaps the biggest surprise is that Tuchel has caused a stir so soon after succeeding Frank Lampard and with new side still unbeaten.

Tuchel’s decision to withdraw Callum Hudson-Odoi just 31 minutes after introducing the winger as a half-time substitute would have raised eyebrows no matter how the head coach chose to explain the decision.

The fact he delivered such a brutal response when quizzed, criticising the player’s attitude, effort and body language after Chelsea had failed to secure the victory their dominance suggested they should have done, may well act as an early marker in any future assessment of Tuchel’s reign at Stamford Bridge.

As far as the manager was concerned, a line was drawn under the matter immediately after the final whistle of Saturday’s draw when his side had needed Mason Mount’s 53rd-minute penalty to cancel out Takumi Minamino’s excellently crafted 33rd-minute opening goal. 

Chelsea move on and look ahead to the next game, tomorrow’s meeting with Atletico Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League last 16 tie, with Hudson-Odoi in contention to be involved, according to Tuchel.

“Not at all, it is absolutely not a big thing for me and not for Callum,” said the head coach, when asked if he was concerned about the impact his decision would have on the player’s confidence. 

“I talk to him, I talk to the whole group and this is sometimes possible. It is not a big thing, if people want to talk about it like a big thing then that's okay. For me, it is absolutely not a big thing, like I said.

“It is on Callum to show that he is a reliable guy when he comes from the bench. Like he is when he starts and he has started a lot. We cannot create the slightest division between me and Callum. He takes it and tomorrow you have every chance to start against Atletico.” 

It now remains to be seen whether Hudson-Odoi feels the same way. It’s one thing publicly criticising the performance of a senior player like Mats Hummels as Tuchel did at Borussia Dortmund, quite another when the player is just 20 and is still feeling his way after an eventful start to his career that has already brought international recognition and interest from Bayern Munich as well as a serious injury and, unsurprisingly, dips in form.

Having appeared to have been instantly revived following the change of manager, Hudson-Odoi must now demonstrate resilience in the way he responds to this setback while his colleagues will undoubtedly take note of the manager’s response. If Tuchel wanted to lay down a marker to the dressing room, he could hardly have been clearer.

The 47-year-old was entitled to feel frustrated at his side’s display with Chelsea appearing indecisive and toothless up front. “I liked the first 80 metres today,” said Tuchel. “I was frustrated with our decision making and in the last 20 metres I had the feeling the first half that we could have ended the game before it had even started for Southampton.” 

Hudson-Odoi’s humiliation diverted attention away from Tammy Abraham’s ineffective first-half display that resulted in his withdrawal at half-time. Timo Werner again offered only flashes of his qualities and his poor final ball denied Chelsea a number of potential openings. It goes without saying improvements are needed ahead of the meeting with Diego Simeone’s notoriously frugal Atletico side.

A positive for Tuchel, however, was the performance of N’Golo Kante in his first Premier League start for the German. “He is unbelievable to play with and a big character within the group,” said Mount, the midfielder who provided his side’s best attacking moments and won the second-half penalty after being brought down by Danny Ings. 

“He doesn’t say much, but the way he goes about it and what he does physically make him a huge character for the side.” 

Mount is also in no doubt about the significance of this next period of the campaign when the club’s challenge for the top four as well as the Champions League and FA Cup will take shape. “The next couple of weeks are massive, that is something we spoke a bit about before this game. We need to go into this spell really focused,” he said.

“There are huge games coming up, and if we do well in those then that could really push us in the right direction. It is very exciting. Big Champions League games, big Premier League games against top clubs, we are really looking forward to them.”