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Mauricio Pochettino could be axed by the Chelsea board this summer (Image: GETTY)
Joe Cole retains full faith in Mauricio Pochettino and insists he is the right man to manage Chelsea. Questions have been asked of Pochettino’s future after a mixed first season in charge at Stamford Bridge. The Blues need to finish strong to qualify for Europe while they lost the Carabao Cup final in February before defeat in last weekend’s FA Cup semi-finals.
Before the short journey from west London to the north of the capital tonight to face title-chasing Arsenal at the Emirates, Chelsea have won just 13 of 31 Premier League matches this season. They sit ninth on 47 points but have games in hand on the teams around them as they seek to clinch at least a Europa Conference League spot. Victory for Arsenal tonight would put them a chasmic 30 points ahead of Chelsea to really hammer home the gap between the two sides. Asked about Chelsea’s inconsistencies, TNT Sports pundit Cole told media including Express Sport: “I think it’s understandable.
They’re the youngest squad in the league, maybe in Europe out of all the clubs at the top echelons. “One thing you can’t push is time, wisdom and experience. That has to come once you’re doing the right things, and then the players get better as a group and as individuals. It’s understandable there’s going to be blips in the road.
“For players to improve, it’s not just a great manager – which Pochettino is – and his coaching staff. It’s great having senior players who are bit firmer and a bit more down the road, because you learn from other players. Mauricio Pochettino has had a mixed first season at Chelsea (Image: GETTY)
“Good habits, bad habits, you learn from what’s around you. I think the manager’s done a great job in my opinion in bringing the players along.
We don’t know who is pulling the strings. If they lose at the weekend, it’s Mauricio fronting up in the press conferences. “We don’t know what the situation is. What we do know is we’re not where we want to be at the moment.
What I would say, processes take longer. Look at what’s happened at Arsenal. You’ve got to believe in what’s going on behind the scenes. “The club could benefit from a little bit more transparency communications-wise as to what we’re doing and why we’re doing it.
That might help because the [Roman] Abramovich era, everybody knew what we were. Communications can improve this summer.” Cole insists the Chelsea team have shown that they believe in the project under Pochettino. He continued: “I’m seeing a team that is fighting for the manager.
You can see that, in the Manchester United game and in large spells of the Manchester City game against an elite side, champions of Europe still. He always looks calm and composed. I see enough glimpses of a team in there. It’s just a very, very difficult club to have taken over at the time he did because of all the change when he came in.
“The history of the club too, he always mentions it in his press conferences. It’s a club used to having success and that’s a really, really tough burden to have on these young players. Mauricio is always highlighting that – it’s true. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding.
You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy Joe Cole is hopeful that things will improve for Chelsea with Mauricio Pochettino in charge (Image: TNT SPORTS) “They’re not there yet these players but they can be. There’s a lot of improving for them to do and growing as individuals. He added: “I think continuity needs to happen.
The structure of the technical side of the club needs to be ironed out. “We don’t know lots about the ins and outs of it but a healthy well-run club, like Brighton, you can see the steps they’ve got in place for every decision that is made. Chelsea are not there yet. The people in the backroom staff, often the ones sat behind the manager, you know their names but you don’t know what they’re responsible for.
“Poor Mauricio, every time something goes wrong, he’s in the firing line. I think a good summer would be to really nail down who’s responsible for bringing in what type of player. Cole Palmer, that was a success, who has put their name to him? What do we expect from him?
“This other player didn’t work out, who put their name to him? Who recommended him? Where did he come from? Then you start to figure out – it needs to be consistent.
Brighton hasn’t happened overnight, even though they’re a step below Chelsea [in club size]. The consistency needs to improve. For more info on how to watch TNT Sports visit HERE