Mauricio Pochettino Is Using A Strange Method To Get Mykhalio Mudryk’s Confidence Up

Chelsea signed Ukrainian Mykhalio Mudryk in January for £88m but the winger has still yet to score a goal. Recently, Pochettino said that Mudryk needs to ‘learn the game better’ following a disappointing performance against Bournemouth. 

Now Pochettino is making Mudryk do crossbar challenges to try and get his confidence up. It doesn’t appear to be working though as Pochettino reveals that he always wins.

Pochettino said: “You know how it works in the brain. It is about, little by little, creating situations that can provide trust, confidence and belief. One example today, with Mudryk, I like to play hitting the crossbar from outside the box.

“But he said to me, ‘No, I’m not going to play anymore with you because always you win’. I said, ‘Yes, because I have the belief. The balance in between belief and quality I know very well because I am 51 and you are still young. You need to still know yourself’.”

But he persuaded Mudryk to challenge him again and he managed to earn a respectful draw.

“It is difficult. That is important. It is one aspect of how you work on the psychology of the player and how you can make the difference and provide him with the confidence afterwards to touch the ball and score rather than to go outside or inside. It’s a small example.”

Mudryk isn’t the only one struggling for goals. Chelsea haven’t scored in three games and the pressure is starting to mount on the players and manager.

Pochettino addressed the issue: “Confidence in one aspect is to score goals. We need to be more natural.

“To create chances, it’s not only about your positional game, your movement, if you play with one or two strikers, or different characteristics of the game, the most important thing is to be natural.

“We have been talking a lot in the last two days and we are going to work hard and remain positive. For different circumstances we are not in the best situation. The problem is we are not clinical in front of goal. But the important thing is to stay calm and keep working.”