Chelsea first-team star reveals his favorite position on the pitch

Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi has talked about the difference between playing as an inverted winger and a wing-back under Thomas Tuchel.

When asked which position he prefers, the young England winger made no qualms about his answer. Speaking to Chelsea's official website, he said:

"I’d definitely say I prefer more-attacking positions for myself, as a winger or a No. 10 kind of player. Obviously I like to be direct and try to create scoring opportunities for the team, hopefully try to score some myself."

He went on to add:

"Playing in that position I’m more comfortable and I feel more free while playing there as well. So it’s definitely a nice position, to know that I can go out there, be myself, be free and try to create and score goals as well."

Speaking about the difference in role as a wing-back at Chelsea, Hudson-Odoi stated:

"But at the same time playing at wing-back is definitely more defensive. Your mentality is more about defending the goal than attacking the goal at times. In that position you always have to cover for somebody. For example, if the centre-back goes forward you have to cover in, just to make sure and be around."

Hudson-Odoi details role of a wing-back at Chelsea

Speaking about his defensive responsibilities as a wing-back at Chelsea, Hudson-Odoi said:

"There are times in a game when I’m playing wing-back and I’m looking forward and thinking I can go forward here, but then I know, just in case, if I do and we then lose the ball and it’s a counter-attack the run back is very far."

He added:

"So sometimes you decide to stay back. It depends, it’s always different situations in the game where I’m thinking I can go forward here and I can create a chance from this position or even score, but it’s vice versa and it depends on how the scenario is in the game."

Hudson-Odoi, however, also credited his overall development as a player due to playing as a wing-back.

"I think it’s added more to my defensive side. Playing wing-back is more defensive-minded, so you have to judge when to lunge in for a tackle, not just recklessly going in, or making sure you’re in the right position when you’re covering for a team-mate, or if you’re one-on-one against an attacker you just have to make sure you stand your ground and show him outside or inside where there’s more bodies."

He concluded:

"For myself it’s definitely added a defensive side to my game and it helps as well, especially if you’re playing higher up the pitch, for the pressing side and knowing how to defend from the front. So it’s definitely good."

Hudson-Odoi has played 25 matches for the Blues this season, scoring three goals and laying out five assists.