Pochettino acknowledges players as own worst enemies
Mauricio Pochettino admitted openly that Chelsea’s chaotic season has been entirely self-inflicted, with his players being the cause of their own demise.
Last weekend’s devastating 4-1 loss to Newcastle ended the positive momentum gained from wins over Tottenham and a spirited draw against Manchester City.
Pochettino, who has been dealing with Chelsea’s inconsistency since taking over as manager in July, marked his displeasure with the team’s poor form.
“It was a tough week for everyone,” Pochettino told reporters on Friday. “I’m very happy because the players reacted really well. We blame ourselves because our approach (at Newcastle) maybe was wrong.
“But the week was good to realise what we need to improve. We need to be more consistent and mature. I’m very, very happy so far. It was tough in training and in meetings, but sometimes this type of situation helps you to improve a lot.
“The important thing is not to look at the end of the season, but to see the process and to improve every day. That’s the most difficult thing always in this type of process, to be focused on today and not on tomorrow.
“We beat Tottenham, had an amazing game against Manchester City, then we lose against Newcastle. We are our worst enemies and we need to be focused on us.”
“The players know very well how my mood was,” he said. “I’m not going to act. I’m not going to show a face that I don’t feel.
“I think it’s important the players feel the coaches in a natural way when we are angry, when we’re happy we’re happy. We were tough in our analysis, but tough is about telling the truth.”
Pochettino has spent the week at Cobham training facility soul-searching as he attempts to address the core issues ailing his squad. Chelsea’s lack of coherence remains a major worry, with only four victories in 13 league games.
Pochettino did not hold back in expressing his displeasure with the players following the dismal performance against Newcastle ahead of their next Premier League match at Stamford Bridge.
As Chelsea attempts to navigate through a stressful moment, the manager faces the difficult task of rebuilding confidence and finding solutions.
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