Why Pochettino needs time to bring success back to Chelsea

por Wosti -

Football fans tend to want instant success these days. In previous times, Chelsea supporters have certainly been used to seeing the Blues come out on top more often than not, with Roman Abramovich successfully wielding the axe on numerous occasions. This was perhaps best highlighted when Roberto Di Matteo was brought in and went on to lift the prestigious UEFA Champions League prize against Bayern Munich in 2012. It might not have been admired in some quarters, but it clearly worked.

Nowadays, though, Chelsea are under new ownership with a seemingly different plan. It’s a project that certainly has its merits, but it also presents a number of concerns for any manager aiming to get the club back competing at the top of the tree once again. For Mauricio Pochettino, it’s arguably even tougher than anything managers in the Abramovich era faced, particularly given his connection to London rivals Spurs. He needs time, though. In fact, he simply has to be given it.

Chelsea some way off the competition

While most of the Blues faithful won’t like to admit it, the club is some way behind the competition these days. The likes of Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool are filled with quality within their ranks, something that Todd Boehly’s Blues are yet to really add to the squad. There’s a reason why behemoths like Manchester City are a joy to watch: they’re the main focus on Match of the Day, and they are generally rated strongly in terms of Premier League odds this season. Guardiola’s side simply possess an abundance of world-class professionals that any manager would love to have, but it takes time to acquire them and unearth any future stars.

While Chelsea have some emerging talents, such as Cole Palmer, coupled with some much-needed experience in the shape of Thiago Silva, there is a distinct lack of quality in the squad. This all comes despite the club’s hierarchy investing an astonishing £1 billion in playing personnel in just three windows since taking over the club in May 2022.

On paper, it’s an investment that has largely been wasted, particularly as the Blues appear to be no closer to discovering the next Kevin De Bruyne or Mohamed Salah. Sure, Cole Palmer has potential, but he was ultimately surplus to requirements at a side Chelsea are desperate to catch.

For any manager being tasked with finishing in the top six or higher with such an average squad, it’s an extremely big ask, particularly given the abundance of signings that are still adapting to life in England, coupled with the competitive nature of the Premier League.

Too many poor additions

While the former Tottenham hero certainly isn’t immune from criticism, expectations need to be tempered somewhat. In fact, with or without the Argentine at the helm, any manager would have to deal with the scattergun approach to recruitment that we’ve seen since the American businessman and investor took over the club.

For every Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku, Pochettino has had the likes of Nicolas Jackson, Axel Disasi, and Marc Cucurella to work with. While the potential is there with some of the acquisitions, they aren’t necessarily Premier League-ready and have looked out of their depth on numerous occasions. There’s a reason why the likes of Conor Gallagher stand out in this current Chelsea team, and it isn’t necessarily because Gallagher has the world at his feet. It’s arguably due to the lack of quality around the former Crystal Palace loanee, with the previous owner’s ruthless approach being replaced by a long-term project that requires patience.

For Chelsea fans, patience isn’t something they’re used to, particularly given Roman Abramovich’s desperation for quick fixes in the past. Whether Mauricio Pochettino is in charge or not, the same issues will be there, except the manager steering the ship might not have the Premier League know-how that the former Spurs boss possesses, or have experience in rebuilding a club just like he did at Southampton. Mauricio Pochettino isn’t perfect, but he’s a manager that can eventually produce the goods if he’s given the tools do so.

Toxic atmosphere growing 

Another notable reason why Pochettino needs time to bring success back to Chelsea is due to the undoubted negativity that is surrounding the club at the moment. Chelsea fans aren’t happy with Boehly’s ownership so far, and while they have every right to be concerned, the journey is still in its relative infancy. Todd Boehly and the people around him certainly have a lot to educate themselves on, but they’ll surely get it right eventually and learn from their evident mistakes.

Right now, though, a fan base that is accustomed to immediate success needs to adjust their expectations somewhat, buy into the long-term project, and cut a manager who is operating in tough circumstances some much-needed slack.

Mauricio Pochettino isn’t a leader Chelsea fans will ever love, but it doesn’t mean that he isn’t capable of building a formidable Blues side once again. In the same way Jurgen Klopp was given time at Liverpool to develop something special, any Chelsea manager needs to be afforded the same type of treatment given the transitional phase at the club right now.