Rio Ferdinand was worried by Mykhailo Mudryk’s home debut for Chelsea against Fulham (Picture: BT Sport / Getty)
Rio Ferdinand has identified a major concern with Mykhailo Mudryk after his disappointing home debut for Chelsea last night.
The Ukraine international generated justifiable excitement after his came performance has a second half substitute against Liverpool at Anfield a fortnight ago.
James Milner and Trent Alexander-Arnold were given a torrid time by the £80million winger who clocked the top speed recorded by a Premier League player this season.
Mudryk was handed his first start against Fulham but his threat was easily snuffed out by a Fulham defence that has earned a deserved reputation as one of the most obdurate in the division.
The former Shakhtar Donetsk star evening last just 45 minutes after he was taken off at the break and replaced by fellow January recruit Noni Madueke.
Chelsea manager Graham Potter insisted a ‘heavy cold’ was responsible for the decision to take Mudryk out of the firing line, but Ferdinand fears he is the type of player who could struggle against packed defences.
He told BT Sport: ‘It’s mad because I watched him in his first game against Liverpool and that 20 minute cameo was as good as I’ve seen.
Graham Potter hooked Mykhailo Mudryk at half-time against Fulham (Picture; Getty)
‘You have to have a bit of balance to it. Fulham are a hard team to play against at the moment, they set up defensively very well when they are out of possession.
‘His game, from the clips I’ve seen, he’s at his best when there is space in behind to run. He played against a team yesterday that were in a bit of a low block.
‘They condensed the pitch that made it more difficult for him so that’s something he’s going to have to work out in time.’
Ferdinand did reveal he felt a measure of sympathy for a player who looked intent on joining Arsenal earlier in the transfer window and advised him to ignore the conversation around his price tag.
He said: ‘The market there were people willing to pay that, so you can’t say that’s overspending. They (Arsenal) wanted him badly and I think there would have been other takers.
‘The thing for me I was a record, big-money signing. As a player you don’t set the price and we judge the player and we criticise the player but they don’t take part in the money side of things.
‘It’s unfortunate but anyone who costs £80m or £100m you have to say that’s overpriced.’
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The Ukraine international was taken off at half-time against Fulham.
