Enzo Maresca has quickly implemented his system at Chelsea, already showing clear patterns of how the Italian wants his side to play, building through the thirds at a slower pace, keeping players in closer proximity by doing so and looking to suffocate teams in their own half.
The importance of wingers in this system is huge. They are often given the most freedom to be direct with their actions, looking to make something happen.
In an ideal world, these wide players are able to go both ways (inside and outside) in order to cause the opposition fullbacks a variety of different problems throughout a game.
Maresca’s ideal winger is one who can beat his man consistently in 1v1 isolations, deliver balls into the box with a variety of techniques such as cutbacks and clipped crosses to the back post, but also has the ability to be a goal threat, cutting inside and getting shots off.
The Blues perhaps had the perfect player for this system all the way back in 2004. A certain Arjen Robben was a winger who could beat his man to go towards the byline, but more importantly, possessed one of the most deadly weapons when cutting inside and shooting on his left foot.
Arjen Robben's Chelsea career in numbers
Chelsea made the signing of Robben back in 2004, with the Dutch winger joining the Blues from PSV Eindhoven for a fee of around £12m.
The Dutchman made 106 appearances for Chelsea, scoring 19 goals, providing 21 assists and totalling 6,632 minutes played.
He developed something of a signature move, cutting inside from the right-wing, having the ability to bend the ball into the far left corner, cutting in on his stronger left foot.
This was seen in his early days at Chelsea, but even further developed in his years at Real Madrid and Bayern Munich after leaving London, going on to become one of the very best in the world.
Robben would have thrived in Maresca’s system, constantly being put in 1v1 isolations to attack the full-back with the license to be creative and vary his actions between attacking the byline and moving inside.
As it happens, it looks like Chelsea may have already sold someone who could have provided that same two-way threat from the wing back in 2023.
Chelsea may have already sold the new Robben
Chelsea sold a certain Callum Hudson-Odoi to Nottingham Forest in the 2023/24 summer transfer window.
The Tricky Trees only paid a measly £3m to secure the services of the young winger, with a potential £2m of add-ons to bring the total to £5m. It’s safe to say that deal has bitten Chelsea in the backside with his form after leaving soaring to new heights. Now, in 2025, the Cobham graduate is in the form of his career.
Goals
0.15
0.23
Assists
0.20
0.09
xG
0.26
0.11
xAG
0.22
0.12
Progressive Carries
5.68
5.10
Progressive Passes
4.75
2.67
Shots Total
1.71
1.69
Goals/Shot
0.09
0.14
Key Passes
2.30
1.83
Shot-Creating Actions
5.47
3.91
Successful Take-Ons
1.65
1.49
Indeed, since moving to the City Ground, Hudson-Odoi has made 61 appearances for the club, scoring 13 goals, and providing four assists, seven of which have come in 2024/25.
Whilst his per 90 metrics are mostly down, playing in a lower possession side, his effectiveness has clearly risen, with the 24-year-old now having a 0.14 goals/shot ratio, showcasing his increase in efficiency.
So, where does the comparison to Robben stem from?
Well, much like the great Dutchman, Hudson-Odoi is now making it something of a trademark of cutting inside. Right-footed – as opposed to Robben’s left – he’s had great joy by chopping inside from the left and curling the ball into the far right corner.
As a result, it’s likely that, considering his form and the small £3m fee, Chelsea will regret the sale of their academy “star boy” as he was described by Forest teammate and ex-Chelsea defender, Ola Aina.
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