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Mauricio Pochettino leading Tottenham to the 2019 Champions League final, is one of the most memorable Champions League moments in modern history. Not just because he took an average team like Tottenham Hotspurs to the final, but because in doing so, he 1st beat a tournament favorite and local rivals Manchester City in a dramatic quarter final game. And then, through an incredible comeback with a hattrick by Lucas Moura, he then beat Ajax’s young squad, who had eliminated reigning holders Real Madrid in the round of 16 and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus in the quarter-finals. But at the end, it was heartbreak for Pochettino and Tottenham, when they lost 2-0 to Liverpool in the final.
But despite losing that final and never even winning a single trophy in his six years managing Tottenham, people praised Pochettino’s innovative tactics, defensive capabilities, and commitment to youth development. And although those qualities didn’t stop the club from firing him, only 5 months after that Champions League final, when the club was in 14th position in the Premier League standings, it wasn't all bad for Mauricio. Because his next job was managing star studded PSG, where he was finally able to win his 1st three trophies as a manager, despite a strained relationship, not just with the sporting director, because he couldn’t win the Champions League, but even with players like his Argentine country man Lionel Messi, who wouldn’t shake his hand when substituted.
So, when he was finally fired from PSG, and since Chelsea didn’t have a permanent coach, he signed a two-year contract with the club, with high hopes to help a struggling team that had finished 12th the year before. But boy have things been really really tough for Pochettino and Chelsea; their struggles are everywhere on the pitch. The defense is weak, midfield is awful and they lack clinical finishing. But it’s hard to understand why. The team has stars in defense, midfield and attack, and who have cost Chelsea more than £1 BILLION. And that’s what makes things really tough for Pochettino.
It's up to him to get the best out of these players and out of the team, even when the players are playing awful. Because when an experienced Raheem Sterling is so selfish that instead of passing the ball, not to one, but two of his teammates, causing the team to eventually lose the game, it’s the coach who will take the blame. And when a highly skilled Moises Caicedo rejects Liverpool, to partner with World Cup winner Enzo Fernandez, but the end result is a very weak midfield, that looks bad for the coach.
So Poch needs to get his act together, because last year alone, Chelsea fired Thomas Tuchel who got them the Champions League, experienced coach Graham Potter, and club legend Frank Lampard. So with the way things are going, it seems that it won’t be long before Pochettino gets sacked, because his only solution to Chelsea’s problems is to buy new players instead of getting the best out of the already existing ones. Think back to your Tottenham days and how you transformed Harry Kane and Son into superstars with your managerial skills and not with a huge spending spree. And THAT’S how you can transform Chelsea.
So, will they once again finish the season in the 2nd half of the table? Can Pochettino turn things around? And how long will Chelsea remain patient with him?