Mauricio Pochettino has revealed the thing that Chelsea owner Todd Boehly, along with the media, won’t allow him to do as Blues head coach. Meanwhile rival boss Mikel Arteta has hailed his Arsenal squad’s character after neutralising a two-goal deficit versus Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The Pride of London offer opinion as always.
We all know that Pochettino likes to be in control, doesn’t any gaffer?! This is why the latest revelation from the Argentine is particularly revealing and intriguing. Basically, ‘Poch’ claimed, figuratively speaking, that the media and CFC owner would kill him if he didn’t start midfield stars Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo. That is, despite the pair’s extensive travels on international duty. Read the quote below:
"‘But if I say “OK, I’m going to give them a rest” you [the media] will kill me, for sure if they don’t play – and the owner also!‘Today Caceido and Enzo arrived after two games in America and they were not fresh. But they are important plasters for us.‘It’s really tough to arrive like that. I hope now they can recover and train and in one week be at their best.’"
Rival boss Mikel Arteta hails Arsenal squad character after Chelsea comeback
Let’s be candid here, Chelsea should have held onto the lead against Arsenal and won the game. The Blues were the better and more dominant side overall; how much an unusually unorganised and placid Gunners team impacted the flow is anyone’s guess. Overall, I am unsure which manager can now be the happiest of the two. Maybe in this case the phrase should be which boss is the most unhappy.
Nonetheless, it appears as though Arteta was the more satisfied out of the two elite counterparts. Obviously completing a comeback against a rival outfit is always an enjoyable and galvanising experience. But the feat does not mask the fact that the assembled players were losing to begin with and for large parts of the game.
The Spaniard in charge at Emirates Stadium said that his men showed ‘phenomenal character’ to claw back some respect and smash and grab for a point on Fulham Road. The onetime Manchester City assistant under Pep Guardiola declared that AFC were always in the match for a fight.