Eight goals peppered across two outings, including a win against the previously undefeated in the league Tottenham Hotspurs and a blockbuster draw against European champions Manchester City. It’s safe to say the narrative around Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure at the helm of Chelsea has taken a turn towards optimism. While it’s prudent to avoid premature conclusions regarding the Blues resurgence, these recent displays certainly point towards a promising trajectory.
At the international break’s closure, the CFC squad are also set to welcome the timely boosts of reinforcements in the form of Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia. It’s no secret that managing Chelsea in its current state presents one of football’s most tortuous jobs, yet the positive signs are there for Pochettino.
3 things Mauricio Pochettino has got right at Chelsea this season
Sticking to a consistent core of players
Any semblance of stability at Chelsea Football club has been erased since the arrival of Todd Boehly and Clearlake capital. The club’s overhauling of all essential staff with the new ownership’s arrival and the now fourth manager in the dugout in less than two years is testament to that. However, unlike his predecessors Mauricio Pochettino’s arrival is gradually bringing much needed stability on the pitch. The Argentinian seems to have found a core of players he trusts in the team and rarely ever makes massive changes to his starting 11 unless he’s forced to by injuries. In defense, Pochettino usually prefers deploying three of his center backs on the pitch with Levi Colwill primarily featuring at left back when available. In the midfield, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Conor Gallagher have wielded a balanced partnership that best highlight each of their individual strengths. Going forward, the three most in form players for the Blues at the moment in Raheem Sterling, Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson are currently outperforming some of the best attacks in the Premier league.
The continuity in the squad definitely came with growing pains in the beginning, seen especially with the Blues attack struggling to break down teams in a low block. Pochettino’s reluctance to feature a natural left back in several games and persisting with three central defenders in the team came under scrutiny from fans during the early days of his tenure. However, if Chelsea’s last two matches are anything to go off, it’s that Pochettino sticking to his core men will pay dividends when it matters most. The passion on display in the Blues Stamford Bridge clash with Man City is proof of that, despite being down twice in the match, a consolidated squad pulled through when it mattered.
The establishing of a recognized core in the squad will continue to create positive competition among the squad and put in place a clear meritocracy. Cole Palmer’s emergence is the perfect example of this. Despite arriving in a side that was struggling attacking wise, the 21 year old wasn’t immediately thrusted into the starting lineup upon his arrival. Instead, steadily proving through little cameos that his quality deserved a start. His eight goal contributions since his very first start against Brighton, tell the rest of the story. An interesting dilemma arises when the likes of Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia return from injury soon, but if anything, the surplus of quality options bodes well for Pochettino’s plans.