Alan Shearer and Ian Wright slam 'really poor' Chelsea star in Brighton draw

Alan Shearer and Ian Wright have both criticised Callum Hudson-Odoi for his performance in Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with Brighton on Tuesday.

Hakim Ziyech put Chelsea in front in the first half but Thomas Tuchel’s side looked well off the pace as Brighton netted a deserved equaliser through Adam Webster in the 60th minute.

Once again, Chelsea looked laboured in their attacking phases of play and Tuchel blamed fatigue for his side’s display.

Shearer and Wright believe Hudson-Odoi’s lack of energy contributed to Chelsea’s stagnant performance and highlighted one moment in the second half where the winger played the ball all the way back to defence during a promising attack.

‘Hudson-Odoi I thought he had a really poor game this evening,’ Shearer told Premier League Productions.

‘You’re looking for some energy, you’re looking for a burst of pace to go past the defender and it never happened.

‘It’s his [Tuchel’s] job to sort it out because we can see it happening on the pitch, we saw it on Saturday against Manchester City, we saw it again against Brighton, it’s not a happy camp and that is one of the reasons, no doubt about it.’

Speaking specifically about the moment in the second half where Hudson-Odoi decided to end Chelsea’s attack by playing the ball backwards, Wright said: ‘This was a perfect opportunity. Look at Lukaku, you see his arms up in he air.

‘Hudson-Odoi in that instance, he’s got a runner outside him, he’s onside, you play it to the runner, he plays it in and Lukaku might get his goal, all of a sudden Chelsea get themselves going.

‘His decision there to stop, come back and pass it all the way back, I can’t believe what I’m seeing.’

Shearer also believes Chelsea’s lack of celebration for Ziyech’s first-half goal shows there is an ‘issue’ in the dressing room between the players.

‘It doesn’t look a happy camp to me,’ said Shearer.

‘Too many players waving their arms around, passing the buck, looking for excuses, nowhere near good enough in forward positions from a Chelsea point of view.

‘I think he’s got issues in that Chelsea dressing room that need sorting out and need sorting out quick.

‘It wouldn’t be the first time in Chelsea’s history that they’ve had issues in the dressing room and we know what happens when that occurs.

‘When the ball hits the back of the net have a look at Lukaku, Hudson-Odoi, Kante, their lack of celebration, their lack of reaction, they’re walking back, heads down, there’s nothing in it.

‘Bearing in mind you work all week to score goals and you’ve just scored the opening goal in the game, I was really surprised. I don’t need any more evidence, that tells me there’s an issue in the Chelsea dressing room.’

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