Bridge of sighs
Poch’s focus as poor season continues
CHELSEA have not played for two weeks but the break has done little to provide respite for Mauricio Pochettino.
His team will run out at Stamford Bridge again today against the backdrop of a supporter civil war which broke out during the international break, adding to the discontent that has already been directed at Pochettino and his Blues bosses recently.
And Chelsea’s injury problems increased too, leaving manager Pochettino admitting he is unsure if captain Reece James will play again this season and, cryptically, that he cannot explain publicly why his squad has been so badly decimated this term.
That issue is a major reason why Chelsea are languishing in 11th going into the final stretch of the season.
Their Premier League plight in particular has increased the spotlight on how Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital are running the club, a subject splitting supporters.
Pochettino said: “I am going to support the owners that have invested in the club and arrived in a very difficult situation.
“We need to understand the fans but our personalities are to keep strong because the intention is very good. Our fans need to understand it is a new project with different ideas.
“They (the owners) want to win the Premier League and be in the Champions League — like us.”
Pochettino has been targeted too and said: “it is easy to find data and numbers to kill someone.”
But he also insists the underlying stats suggest Chelsea have not got what they deserve and added: “That is why I laugh and don’t take it (criticism) personally. We must trust the process.”
Injuries have undermined that. Robert Sanchez, Trevoh Chalobah and Carney Chukwuemeka picked up new issues ahead of Burnley’s visit.
Unsure
Along with Levi Colwill, though, there is a chance Chalobah will be fit.
Romeo Lavia has been ruled out for the rest of the season and Pochettino was unsure if James might join him and when Christopher Nkunku might return.
On James, he said: “It’s difficult to say something because I don’t want you to go, ‘but oh, (you said this)’. We
A TOUGH YEAR: Chelsea boss Poch; (inset) Blues keeper Robert Sanchez with Trevoh Chalobah will assess it week-by-week. We hope he will be available for the end of the season.”
Burnley boss Vincent Kompany claims Pochettino is having similar problems to him as he tries to build a winning side.
The Manchester City legend said: “Pochettino’s got better players, he’s got top players.
“But if I’m honest the mistakes they make are quite similar to our mistakes.
“He’s got high quality, highly-talented players, but they’re learning on the job as our young players are.”