Former Chelsea assistant coach Luca Gotti talked about England midfielder Chick in an interview.
You coached Chelsea with Sarri in the 2018-19 season. At that time, Chik scored 10 goals and assisted 6 times. What kind of memories do you still have about him?
Chick is a special boy with unique characteristics. For example, incredible shooting ability, and top-level plug-in offensive ability. He is a very straightforward and modern player. What impressed me the most was how he became the dominant one when he felt the trust in the locker room.
Chick also has a lot of friends in the locker room
Yes, this is an extra advantage for him. I remember Chick always smiling, joking with everyone, and even becoming a central figure in the locker room. And he is kind and respectful. I remember one time I met him at an intersection outside the training base two hours after the training, and I asked him, "Why are you still here?" He spent two hours signing autographs for the fans, and he said to me, "I was one of them a few years ago." Do you understand what I mean?
How should Chick be used in tactical terms?
I think he is a player who needs to be allowed to play freely. He has strong sprinting ability and is full of explosive power, but we must try not to over-restrict him. For example, at Chelsea, Sarri attached great importance to the defensive stage when coaching, but in his 433 formation, the midfielder was given enough freedom to find space and try to shoot. I want to say that this approach has achieved great results.
But after that we didn't see the Chick like that at that time we were talking about a sensitive boy who barely realized how great he was. He needs patience, trust, and sometimes comfort. In addition, the impact of the injury needs to be taken into account. His constant lack of continuity has prevented him from further improving.
After Allegri coached Milan, Chik became the main midfielder again and scored in the last round of Serie A. I think this may be a year for Chik. He is growing up with Milan and he has returned to England. He plays well, and if he can maintain continuity, then everyone will see the real Chick. I think just by giving him confidence and support, he will reward with his top performance.
What do you think Chick has other shortcomings?
Yes, he has not grown in some ways. I've talked to you about Chick 6 years ago, and now I still see him falling a little behind in some aspects, like always keeping focus and continuity in the 90-minute game, and he has to learn to focus throughout the game. Once he exerts all his strength, he will indeed show pleasing performance.