Mauricio Pochettino can see light at the end of Chelsea’s long, dark tunnel, but the progress he is making at Stamford Bridge will see the manager secure a second place in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup semi-final.
It’s a match against Middlesbrough with a mix of anticipation and dread.The draw marks a crossroads for the former Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain manager. Chelsea were 1-0 down in the first leg against Michael Carrick’s side.
Boro are 11th in the EFL Championship table. All they have to do is beat Pochettino’s side. The odds are in Chelsea’s favor as they try to overturn a one-goal deficit and secure a place in next month’s final, but the only certainty for Pochettino’s young side is their inconsistency.
This is why nobody plans for Wembley. After the defeat to Middlesbrough earlier this month, Chelsea fans were furious that their players left the pitch after the game. Pochettino went viral on social media the next day, with former Bayern and Germany coach Hansi Flick touted as a potential replacement.
The same goes for the life of a Premier League manager.The defeat was a rare moment for Pochettino as he began to turn things around after a difficult first six months. But anger over Middlesbrough’s defeat overshadowed progress on and off the pitch.
Chelsea have won four of their last five games in all competitions. The only negative result was the defeat at Boro. And there has been a rare sense of calm at the club in the transfer window.
There was no major spending on expensive new contracts, and instead only a few low-cost loans went in and out. Fears that key midfielder Conor Gallagher would be released by the club to take advantage of his status as a homegrown player to cash in on a net transfer fee have so far failed to materialize and Pochettino’s side are slowly making their way into the Premier League evaluation.
Stamford Bridge has bounced back two years after former owner Roman Abramovich was forced to sell the club after its assets were frozen following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. If Chelsea beat Middlesbrough and progress to the final,
Pochettino could aim for silverware in his first season at the club. This also marks the first time in English football history that he has not won a title in five seasons at Tottenham and one season at Southampton. However, if they fail to beat a lower division side in the second semi-final.
Pochettino and Chelsea will be in trouble again. Another setback could increase the risk of another managerial change for the owners, given the £910m they have invested in the squad, including 25 players, since taking over.
Pochettino is already the fourth coach of the club since May 2012. Admission in 2022. . Pochettino identified his side’s weaknesses and had this to say after the defeat to Middlesbrough:
“We have to play well and score goals. We play well, but sometimes we are not insensitive either. Sure enough, sometimes we get punished. Now we have that process.
