Marc Cucurella asserts that Mauricio Pochettino retains the backing of the Chelsea squad, despite uncertainties about his future as the season’s end approaches. Pochettino is under significant pressure in his inaugural season as Chelsea’s manager. The team has only secured 13 wins out of 33 matches, currently sitting ninth in the Premier League, a significant 19 points away from the top four positions.
Since Todd Boehly’s consortium took over the club just over two years ago, Chelsea has invested over one billion pounds in players. However, the team’s performance has not met expectations. Following a 5-0 defeat by Arsenal and a 1-0 loss to Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final, there were claims that the club’s hierarchy was seriously considering sacking Pochettino. This speculation arose amid a broader context of underperformance, exemplified by Arsenal’s decisive victory over Tottenham.
The situation seemed bleak for Pochettino when Chelsea trailed Aston Villa 2-0 on Saturday. However, the team managed to rally and secure a 2-2 draw. They could have won the match if the video assistant referee had not controversially disallowed Axel Disasi’s late goal. Cucurella believes that Pochettino is steering Chelsea in the right direction and deserves more time.
When asked if the team’s second-half comeback against Villa indicated the players’ desire for Pochettino to stay, Cucurella affirmed this sentiment to the Evening Standard. He highlighted Pochettino’s motivational halftime speech and the team’s subsequent reaction. Cucurella suggested that the issue lies more with the team’s mentality and consistency rather than the manager’s tactics. He emphasized the need for players to show their quality and capability consistently.
Cucurella also pointed out that the manager has limited options when the team suffers heavy defeats, such as the 5-0 loss. He believes that the responsibility primarily rests with the players and their mentality. According to Cucurella, Pochettino has been very supportive, communicates well, and has the backing of the team. He expressed optimism about the team’s current direction and stressed the importance of maintaining performance and mentality throughout every game. He urged the team to stay united to achieve more success.
Despite Pochettino’s remark that the team had “given up” in the latter part of the match against Arsenal, the performance against Villa was promising. Noni Madueke and Conor Gallagher scored impressive goals, and Disasi’s excellent header was disallowed due to a perceived foul by Benoit Badashile in the penalty area.
Pochettino signed a two-year contract with Chelsea at the beginning of the season, with an option for a third year. However, the quick dismissal of his predecessor, Graham Potter, less than seven months into a five-year contract, shows Chelsea’s short-term focus. Pochettino has questioned whether co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali, along with sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, are considering his future.
Despite these concerns, Pochettino is already planning for the summer transfer window and the upcoming preseason. Nevertheless, the possibility of being fired remains a looming concern. Chelsea faces Tottenham on Thursday, followed by matches against West Ham, Nottingham Forest, Brighton, and Bournemouth to conclude the season.
