3 agendas for Mauricio Pochettino during pre-season for Chelsea

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Find the right system for struggling players

Chelsea signed a lot of talented players last season. However, they seemed to struggle due to several factors and never settled into the league. With a full pre-season at hand, Pochettino must aim to get the best out of struggling players like Mykhailo Mudryk and Noni Madueke. They have lacked consistency, although the talent has been displayed here and there. Another player that has struggled in attack is Raheem Sterling. He is a winger of world class quality, as described by Pochettino himself. The 51-year-old will look to bring in a settled and stable attacking system where these players can flourish.

It was brilliant to see Mykhailo Mudryk feature in the U21 Euros, and it is said to have impressed Blues’ new manager as well. Pochettino’s use of Mudryk in the pre-season will be one thing to watch out for, as the Ukrainian winger did seem to settle in last season, but there were flashes of his ferocious pace and dribbling ability.

With Kai Havertz now at Arsenal, Pochettino must find a solution for the striker situation. With Broja still recovering, new signing Nicolas Jackson is the team’s only striker, and we may see Christopher Nkunku leading the line at some point. At the same time, CFC could go ahead with a false nine in the form of Sterling.