Sarri on Hudson-Odoi, injury news, booing from fans and his optimism about Chelsea’s future
Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri spoke about a number of issues at a media conference ahead of the game against Brighton. Here’s some of what the Italian had to say.
On Marcos Alonso
“We have a little problem with Alonso. In the last match he had a little problem with his hamstring, so I think he has to rest for three or four days.”
On whether Hazard and Kante will play
“I don’t know at the moment but I think so. They rested in the last match – N’Golo for the whole match and Eden for 55 minutes.
“We need to consider that N’Golo this season has played 50 matches and Hazard 48. In the last two weeks they played with their national teams for two matches, so sometimes they need to rest. But they are OK.”
On how Hazard feels about being left out
“Eden usually plays every match, so he knows very well that sometimes he needs to rest. It’s not a problem for Eden.”
On criticism from fans
“I am not happy, of course. But I am not concerned. It can happen. I understand very well the frustration of our fans but in the end we are not doing so badly.
“During this season we have won 33 matches. I think that in England only Manchester City did better than us. Of course we know very well that we need to improve our performances.
“Probably we started very well and so our fans thought everything was really very easy for us, but that’s not true.
“We have to work, to improve. I think if you take a coach with my characteristics you have to work – you have to improve day by day, week by week.
“I like to stay (focused) on (what’s going on) on the pitch. I enjoy during training. We need to improve. We need to play better and we want to try to change their (the fans’) opinion.
“I think they have to help the players during the match. After the match they can say everything, but during the match I hope they will be able to help my players.
“We are a group and at the moment I think we are a very good group, so I think it’s not helpful for my players.
“For me it’s not a big problem. I am 60 and can understand. When I was 25 it probably was different.”
On how tough his job is
“It’s not easy of course. But I think it’s better to be in work. It’s not easy also in the other clubs. It’s not easy but it wasn’t easy in Naples.
“My job is this. I like very much the part on the pitch. I don’t like this part (speaking to the media) but it is a part of my job.”
On the performance at Cardiff
“We played badly in the first half. We need to improve. We played with more character, because in this match we reacted.
“Not in the right way, but we reacted – in a confusing way, I think. But we wanted to win. It’s important for us.”
On Chelsea’s future
“I think that in the future we will be able to fight for the top.
“We have a lot of young players and they can improve in the future; Callum, Ruben, Christensen. And so if they are able to improve we will be able to improve as a team.”
On Callum Hudson-Odoi
“At the beginning of the season, in pre-season, after four or five training (sessions) I realised that Callum was really a player with very great potential.
“In my opinion, at that moment he wasn’t ready to play at that level. But during the season he has improved. Now he is ready to play.
“I decided at the beginning of the season that he was to stay with us and I put him in the squad.
“So I know Callum very well and I want him to improve more because the potential is higher.
“Callum is always in my mind. In my opinion he is our future and now he is ready to play. Probably he will start tomorrow or in the next match.
“I want to see the condition of all the players – of Willian, Pedro, Eden. But of course he (Hudson-Odoi) is in my mind.”
