Key Takeaways:
- Chelsea’s challenging start to the Premier League season continues with a 1-0 home defeat to Aston Villa.
- Manager Mauricio Pochettino emphasizes the need for the team to “grow up” collectively.
- Chelsea’s lackluster performance marks their worst start to a campaign since 1978.
Pochettino’s Call for Collective Growth
Mauricio Pochettino, Chelsea’s manager, has voiced his concerns following the team’s ongoing struggles in the Premier League. Despite boasting an expensively assembled squad, Chelsea has encountered a goal-scoring drought, failing to find the net in their last three matches. Currently, they sit in 14th place with just one win in six games, marking their worst start to a season since 1978.
Pochettino, in response to the challenging situation, emphasized the necessity for the team to “grow up like a team” rather than focusing solely on individual performance.
⏰ “Poch has three games left.”
❌ “Away at Fulham, away at Burnley, home to Arsenal. He won’t get to Arsenal…”
Mark the Chelsea fan predicts Mauricio Pochettino will be sacked soon 👀 pic.twitter.com/szCZC10uyH
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) September 24, 2023
He stated,
“We need to grow up like a team, not only in an individual way. In this type of game, we are competing and want to win and football is about winning. But also players, when they are young, need to learn, and experience and make mistakes. That’s why we feel disappointed as there are too many situations like this.”
Continued Support for the Plan
Despite Chelsea’s disappointing results, Pochettino affirmed that the club’s owners, who have invested approximately £1 billion ($1.22 bn) in new players since their acquisition last year, remain committed to the team’s plan. While acknowledging the owners’ disappointment with the current state of affairs, Pochettino emphasized the importance of their continued support for the team’s long-term vision.
Chelsea’s attackers have suffered from an extreme lack of confidence and decision-making ability for years now.
It will take time to mend, but if there is a coach to fix this it is Mauricio Pochettino. pic.twitter.com/0oH4CasSwf
— Tom Overend (@tovers98) September 17, 2023
Upcoming Fixtures
Chelsea’s upcoming schedule includes a League Cup match against Brighton on Wednesday, followed by a Premier League visit to Fulham on October 2. These fixtures present opportunities for Chelsea to regroup and work towards improving their form, with Pochettino at the helm, determined to address the team’s early-season challenges.