Tuchel replaced Tammy Abraham at half time with Hudson-Odoi in the Southampton game, but the winger was replaced just 25 minutes later by Hakim Ziyech.
The Chelsea manager said after the game, which finished 1-1, that he was not pleased with the winger’s attitude and body language, but Townsend does not agree.
The former midfielder says that it was Tuchel’s mistake in the first place to play the winger in a wrong position and he does not understand what kind of body language problems he saw in Hudson-Odoi in 25 minutes of football.
Townsend indicated that it was unfair on the player, who eventually won Chelsea the penalty that helped them to draw the game.
The 57-year-old said on Premier League TV after the match: “No [he wasn’t poor].
“If anything, the coach got it wrong. Tuchel’s got it wrong with where he asked him to play.
“I think to say I didn’t like his body language, blimey! He was only in there for only 25 minutes.
“In 25 minutes of open football, you will probably touch the ball eight or nine times, so I don’t know what sort of body language Thomas was looking for.
“What did he want? Run up and down all over the place and be crazy?”
It remains to be seen whether Hudson-Odoi starts when Chelsea play Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night.
