Tuesday night’s 1-0 shock defeat to Middlesbrough in the EFL Cup, has sent shivers down Mauricio Pochettino’s spine, as the Chelsea fans understandably are beginning to lose faith in the Argentine.
The same team who brushed aside Preston North End in the FA Cup, looked out of ideas, especially in the second half at The Riverside Stadium.
It was the same story in front of the goal, where the ability to put away guilt edge chances is angering the fans even more. If there is.is anything positive to think about, it’s fact that the team’s home form is, dare I say it, starting to improve, based on results against Brighton & Hove Albion, and Sheffield United.
But losing to a side that is currently 12th in the Championship, is with no doubt an inexcusable result, especially in a semi-final in which, you should be winning. So here lies the question, what is the reason for the team’s lack of ability to string some positive results together?
Is it Pochettino? Is it the players? Injuries? or a combination of all three?
The more realistic answer could be the latter, but then you also need to understand, that this is Chelsea Football Club, where nothing else matters to the fans, apart from winning, so the long-term project from Boehly and Pochettino is not going to be successful, as Blues fans are beginning to lose patience with the Club, and especially the Manager.
If you look at where Chelsea is in the Premier League table, 10th, six points outside the top six may not seem bad, but it could get worse if things don’t improve, in terms of the team’s form.
Gallagher Future in Doubt?
With Tottenham Hotspur eyeing a move for the England Midfielder Connor Gallagher, it is expected that the fee would be £50 million.
Now if you look at this from a fan’s perspective, you would want him to stay as he’s arguably been one of or if not the best player for the club this season, and with the team in a bit of a hole, his energy both on and of the pitch is now needed more than ever to galvanise the team and get their season back on track.
Gallagher has made 25 appearances in all competitions this season and has been one of the few players who looks to be playing for the badge, so the idea of the club wanting to sell him is just baffling to believe.
Lack of Ruthlessness In Front Of Goal
Another thing that is hurting the Blues, and this has been a common thing even towards the end of Thomas Tuchel’s reign as well as the short stint under Graham Potter, is the team’s inability to consistently put the ball in the back of the net, particularly away from home.
Cole Palmer’s performance in the first half at Middlesborough sums this up, as he could have quite easily scored a hat-trick, to put Chelsea in a better position in the first leg of the semi-final, which may have eased the pressure on Pochettino.
Although you could argue that if Armando Broja had started the game, would he have taken one of those chances, given the fact that he scored against Preston?
And when you have Nicholas Jackson, who is away at the AFCON, you need a focal point in the team, and given that Broja has had his injury problems, perhaps that might be the reason why he hardly starts a game.
Hence you feel as if Chelsea should either give him a run in terms of starting him in games or sell him to West Ham, who are reportedly interested in him.
Before the crucial Mid-Season break, Chelsea face local rivals Fulham on Saturday, and Pochettino must put a string of positive results including remaining in both Cup competitions, to keep his job secure for the rest of the season.
Can Pochettino survive a full season and turn things around for Chelsea?
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