What Chilwell did to Mudryk ahead of Chelsea decision for Bournemouth

Chelsea news as Ben Chilwell and Mykhailo Mudryk continue to push each other on for one of Mauricio Pochettino's spots in attack

Between Chelsea's 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest and their return to Premier League football with the trip to face Bournemouth on Sunday there has been one main hope from fans: Mykhailo Mudryk getting some meaningful gametime. Four games into the season and the £62million January signing is yet to start a game.

However, upon Mauricio Pochettino's arrival there was hope that a transformation would take place and that this maverick character, a complex human as much as a raw footballer with unimaginable internal conflicts, would rise to meet his potential. One month in and it's not quite happened.

Although Chilwell's spot higher up the left flank is not far from his position as a wing-back, an art he has mastered in recent years, it is the loss of a natural wide-man, speedster and bag of tricks that Chelsea fans have mourned. Chilwell hasn't been at his best but is still the most threatening player in that area of the pitch so far this season in the league.

Pochettino is working without a first choice attacker, centre-back and right-back - let alone captain - in these early weeks. He is trying to form the foundation of a squad that is built on youth and inexperience. Mudryk, for all his flair, is not yet a manager's dream. In a highly-functioning team he may well be a true weapon - see Jeremy Doku at Manchester City - but for Chelsea they are not organised or grooved enough to have the rogue gem in their side.

It is also costing Levi Colwill his best spot at centre-back as well as Chilwell his natural spot further back. As one of the senior members of the side, though, Pochettino is looking towards