Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has been engaging in the crossbar challenge with Mykhailo Mudryk in an effort to boost the winger’s self-assurance.
Mudryk, who was signed from Shakhtar Donetsk in a transfer valued at up to £89 million in January, has yet to find the net in 22 appearances.
Pochettino and Mudryk have been competing in this challenge at Cobham, the club’s training facility.
Pochettino explained, “With Mudryk, I occasionally like to play a game where we attempt to hit the crossbar from outside the penalty area.” He continued, “He told me, ‘I don’t want to play with you anymore because you always win.’ I told him, ‘Yes, because I have belief, and I understand the balance between belief and quality very well because I’m 50 years old. You’re still young, and you need to discover that about yourself.'”
“Today, we had our first draw, as I always used to win. Now, you are starting to believe in yourself, in your quality. Otherwise, it’s challenging to strike a balance between belief and quality.”
Mudryk, the Ukraine international, who was on the verge of joining Arsenal before opting for Chelsea, has appeared in five of the Blues’ six league matches this season, with two starts.
The 22-year-old had scored 10 goals in 18 outings for Shakhtar during the first half of the 2022-23 season before making his high-value move to the Premier League.
Pochettino, speaking ahead of Chelsea’s Carabao Cup third-round match against Brighton at Stamford Bridge, emphasized, “The issue is that we can’t purchase confidence at the store. It takes time. Our brains work in a way where it’s a gradual process, creating scenarios to instill trust, confidence, and belief.”
“This is an aspect we work on—the psychological aspect of the player—and it can make a significant difference by giving players the confidence to handle the ball and score. It’s a small illustration.”