Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino was disappointed after the match against Middlesbrough.
Chelsea lost 0-1 to Middlesbrough of the second division in the first leg of the 2023-2024 English Football League (EFL) Cup semifinals held at the Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough, England on the 10th (Korean time).
Chelsea pushed Middlesbrough throughout the game. For 90 minutes, they tormented their opponents with an overwhelming 72% ball possession and 18 shots.
However, Middlesbrough collapsed with one blow. In the 36th minute of the first half, Chelsea allowed a goal to Hayden Hackney during a counterattack. 지울프-토토
Afterwards, Chelsea brought the momentum and knocked on Middlesbrough’s goal, but were repeatedly blocked by Middlesbrough’s goalkeeper Tom Glover and lost.
Chelsea had a 3-game winning streak and seemed to be continuing their upward trend by shaking off the slump that had followed, but they were disappointed once again after 4 games with a loss on this day.
After the game, Coach Pochettino said, “If I were to evaluate the entire game today, I think we did better. We created a lot more and clearer chances. But we didn’t score and we weren’t concise.”
He then pointed out the problem, saying, “It can happen during the season. However, in the past six months, we have had too many incidents like this. There have been too many games lost due to lack of conciseness. It is difficult to win if you do not score a goal.”
He added about the EFL Cup, “But it’s only the first leg. The second leg awaits us at Stamford Bridge, our home stadium. We have to think positively.”
This summer, Chelsea sought changes with the appointment of manager Pochettino. After parting ways with manager Thomas Tuchel last season, the system was followed by acting managers Graham Potter, Bruno Saltor, and Frank Lampard.
As it was the first season under Todd Boely’s club system, huge investments were made, but they were not utilized properly.
Accordingly, this summer, Coach Pochettino was appointed as the official manager, and the team once again invested aggressively in recruiting players, including Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, Christopher Unkunku, and Nicola Jackson.
However, so far, only disappointment remains. They are unable to show solid tactical performance, including ups and downs. They remain in 10th place with 8 wins, 4 draws, and 8 losses in the league, and have never recorded three consecutive league wins.
Fans’ hearts plummeted due to the continued slump. After this game, fans left comments on the club’s official SNS, “A bunch of losers. We are always pathetic,” “This club is not serious,” and “Pochettino should be fired right away.”
The local reaction to Pochettino’s move is negative, but Chelsea has not yet shown any significant action. For now, it seems like they will give Pochettino a chance, trust him, and wait.