TIRED CALLUM BACK ON HIGH
Chelsea are flying again says Blues winger
CALLUM Hudson-Odoi says Chelsea have got their top-four mojo back after beating Spurs – again.
The Blues saw off their London rivals for the fourth time this season with a pretty comfortable 2-0 success at Stamford Bridge.
Both teams are still in the FA Cup so they could yet meet for a fifth time.
But it was important for Chelsea not to drop any more points in the Premier League.
Recent results have seen them beaten by Man City and cop painful draws against both Everton and Brighton.
They are ten points behind the champions and one adrift of Liverpool but have played more games than those two.
And Hudson-Odoi knows there have been some ups and down for Thomas Tuchel’s men lately.
He said: “We pressed as a team well against Spurs.
“We opened the game up well as a team, we kept trying to find gaps and when we did it was good for us.
“It was a big game and big rivalry, so we’re delighted to have taken the three points.”
Tuchel has been moaning about playing so many games and that has had an impact on the players.
Hudson-Odoi seems to agree with his boss.
He said: “It’s been difficult. We’ve had to rest less and play more.
“We know games come thick and fast and they are very challenging. Sometimes the rest hasn’t been enough for us but at the same time, we have to get on with it and play every game as well as we can do.”
The Premier League takes a break now for a couple of weeks but the games will still be coming thick and fast for the Blues.
Packed
Tuchel has given the players a full week off before the FA Cup clash with Plymouth. That is followed quickly by the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi.
Then the Champions League kicks off again before the Carabao Cup final at the end of a packed February.
Chelsea played 19 games in 61 days heading into the break.
Tuchel says he’s happy to give his knackered stars some downtime in the middle of the season.
He said: “Not the injured players or the players coming back from injury but everybody else will be off.
“We tell them to be careful when travelling abroad. All of them are fully aware of the situation.
“Sure, there will be some recommendations but in the end, they are free citizens.”
Two Chelsea stars will not be putting their feet up in the next week or so.
Thiago Silva is the senior man in the squad at 37 but he’s been called up by Brazil for World Cup qualifiers and will be heading to South America.
It’s a similar story for USA international Christian Pulisic who is facing three crucial matches for his country.