POCH NEEDS BECKS
Chelsea boss: ‘We lack quality with our set-pieces’
CHELSEA manager Mauricio Pochettino last night let slip one of his chief transfer targets this summer... a free-kick expert.
Chelsea spent nothing in the transfer window that shut on Thursday night – 24 hours after their season lurched to another dismal low point when they were thumped 4-1 by Liverpool at Anfield.
It was Chelsea’s sixth away defeat in 11 league games this season and, though Pochettino insisted he was happy with his squad despite not bringing in reinforcements in January, he did admit one area where his side are lacking.
The Blues have scored only five goals from set-pieces (excluding penalties) this season, which puts them 12th in the Premier League rankings. Arsenal top the list with 14 and even struggling Everton have managed 11.
Pochettino’s side do not have a designated set-piece coach, unlike several other clubs, and they don’t have a designated set-piece taker, like David Beckham (above).
But Pochettino said: “We were talking about trying to find a specialist for next season.
“Look at West Ham before and after they signed James Wardprowse. If you add a player like him, you increase the percentage. Football
should belong to the players, not to specialist coaches. We work on setpieces but after that it has to be about the quality of the player, about the takers. We don’t have a specialist. Maybe Ben Chilwell is good with deliveries for us, but after that we don’t have a specialist.” England star Chilwell has only just returned from four months out with a hamstring injury, which has hampered Chelsea. Enzo Fernandes and Reece James take set-pieces but have both also been sidelined.
Chelsea let Armando Broja and Ian Maatsen go out on loan during the window and made no signings, but Pochettino said: “We didn’t find anyone who could improve our squad
“I am happy with the squad. We have improved a lot in the last two months. We have the players we want. We can perform better but it is not a problem not to sign anyone.”
Chelsea, who face Wolves at home tomorrow, will have striker Nicolas Jackson back after his stint at the Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal.
After tomorrow’s Stamford Bridge fixture, Chelsea face three away matches on the spin: at Aston Villa on Wednesday in an FA Cup replay, at Crystal Palace a week on Monday, and then at Manchester City.