‘Stress of delay gets to Toffees’
CHELSEA legend William Gallas believes winning the Carabao Cup would save Mauricio Pochettino’s season – but fears he will come up short.
Just 19 days ago, fans turned on Pochettino (above, right) following the Blues’ dismal 4-2 home defeat by Wolves.
Two-time title winner Gallas (below) was part of the side who set the ball rolling for
Chelsea’s collection of 18 major trophies in the Roman
Abramovich era when they beat Liverpool in the League
Cup final in 2005.
And he says Poch will have “failed” in his first year at Stamford Bridge if he does not break his duck and lift a first trophy in English football at Wembley on Sunday.
Gallas said: “Chelsea’s players have nothing to lose. They will be going into this game as the underdog and they just have to go for it.
“But it’s different for Pochettino. If he doesn’t win this competition, that means he has failed this season.
“He will finish emptyhanded and he will not have achieved any of his targets this year because Chelsea will not qualify for the Champions League.
“Everybody needs a trophy. People can say, ‘Oh they play nice football, the players did well’. No! You’re in football to win and to experience the feeling of lifting a trophy and the Carabao Cup is an opportunity for Pochettino to save his season.”
Gallas, speaking to Gambling
Zone, says Chelsea must adopt a simple blueprint against a team that beat them twice on penalties – after twin 0-0 draws – in both domestic finals two years ago.
He said: “It doesn’t matter how you play in a final, you just have to win it.
“Finals are all about getting results. It’s not about playing good football and making people happy, it’s about winning.
“Don’t be scared on the ball – give everything. It’s simple.”
Now 46, the former
France defender insisted Liverpool were favourites on Sunday – unlike the 2005 final in Cardiff, where Chelsea boss Jose
Mourinho was ordered from the dugout by police after a provocative ‘shush’ gesture towards Reds fans.
“For me, it is unusual to be sent off by the police,” said Mourinho. “I am happy I am not going to jail.”
Gallas recalled: “When we played Liverpool in 2004-5, they were struggling in the Premier League – I think they were in eighth position and we were top.
“This time around, it is Chelsea who are in mid-table and Liverpool are top of the league, so it will be hard for Chelsea to lift the trophy.
“I don’t think Chelsea will win, but, as a former Chelsea player, my heart is with them.
“We know that Klopp is on the way out of Liverpool and the players will be extra-motivated to get a result for him.
“If Liverpool win this trophy, they will draw level with Manchester United on overall trophies, with 68 each.
“Maybe the players know about this.
“I’m sure Klopp does – and Liverpool will be ready to win on Sunday.”
SEAN Dyche fears the “psychological impact” of Everton’s 10-point deduction may be affecting his players.
The Toffees are still waiting for the result of their appeal, having hoped to hear by now.
Dyche has tried to keep his squad focused on results, but wonders what effect the points penalty is having on them because it has left them fighting relegation.
“It affects everyone, everyone is sitting around waiting and wondering,” said the Blues boss (above).
“They do take those 10 points off immediately, so you keep looking at that table and you keep getting asked about being in the bottom three, four, five.
“They don’t leave you up there, so how do we know how that affects the psychology?
“How do you measure the psychological impact of having 10 points taken off you? Whereas if they leave the table and then adjust it down by whatever it ends up, you’re mid-table and there’s a different psychological profile.”
Blues midfielder James Garner admitted this week the points deduction was playing on his mind.