Mauricio Pochettino has admitted that Chelsea are far off the lofty targets that were set before the commencement of the season.
Pochettino, who was appointed manager of the West London club on July 1, 2023, hasn't had a rosy start to his managerial tenure at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea have struggled since the start of the season, and that has seen them drop to 10th spot on the Premier League table, with 22 points from 11 matches.
Mauricio Pochettino spoke highly concerning the level of the club, and what such mountainous heights demand.
He indicated that they knew that it would be a daunting task, but not at this rate, given the injuries, and suspensions that Chelsea have had to battle.
Speaking ahead of Chelsea's encounter against Crystal Palace on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, Pochettino said:
“We need to win. We are so far away from what our targets were. To be honest our target was to be on top.
“We are Chelsea, it demands us to be near the top. We knew it’d be tough, but never this tough, because of injuries, suspensions… made it worse”.
The Blues have spent over a billion in the past few years, all aimed at rejigging the squad towards success, however, it is yet to yield the right dividend.
Chelsea have had to part with staggering amounts to sign several players, including; Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, and Christopher Nkunku.
These players have produced a mismatch output since their arrival, with both Caicedo and Fernandez struggling to hit the level expected of them.
Meanwhile, Nkunku scored his first competitive goal for the Blues on December 24, 2023, in their 2-1 defeat at Molineux to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Christopher Nkunku appears to be settling perfectly into football in England, as he netted a goal on his league debut with Chelsea.
Speaking regarding Nkunku and his favorite position, Mauricio Pochettino said that the Frenchman's “best position is more like a 10 or a 9”
The Argentine tactician added that Christopher Nkunku is “more than the left or right side like a winger”.
Nkunku joined Chelsea on July 1, 2023, for a fee of €60 million, and he suffered a knee injury that kept him out of action for most parts of the season.
However, he has returned and it appears it is with a bang, as his influence could help galvanize the Blues towards better fortunes in the coming games.
Mauricio Pochettino also lauded Christopher Nkunku, saying that the forward “is now starting to understand the Premier League, that teams are very aggressive and the football is very different to other countries”.
The Frenchman has got pace and trickery and he is also a deadly finisher. His outstanding finishing ability was witnessed in the German Bundesliga last term, as he finished the season as the joint-top scorer with 16 goals and 4 assists from 25 matches.
Pochettino, who was appointed manager of the West London club on July 1, 2023, hasn't had a rosy start to his managerial tenure at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea have struggled since the start of the season, and that has seen them drop to 10th spot on the Premier League table, with 22 points from 11 matches.
Mauricio Pochettino spoke highly concerning the level of the club, and what such mountainous heights demand.
He indicated that they knew that it would be a daunting task, but not at this rate, given the injuries, and suspensions that Chelsea have had to battle.
Speaking ahead of Chelsea's encounter against Crystal Palace on Wednesday, December 27, 2023, Pochettino said:
“We need to win. We are so far away from what our targets were. To be honest our target was to be on top.
“We are Chelsea, it demands us to be near the top. We knew it’d be tough, but never this tough, because of injuries, suspensions… made it worse”.
The Blues have spent over a billion in the past few years, all aimed at rejigging the squad towards success, however, it is yet to yield the right dividend.
Chelsea have had to part with staggering amounts to sign several players, including; Moises Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez, and Christopher Nkunku.
These players have produced a mismatch output since their arrival, with both Caicedo and Fernandez struggling to hit the level expected of them.
Meanwhile, Nkunku scored his first competitive goal for the Blues on December 24, 2023, in their 2-1 defeat at Molineux to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Christopher Nkunku appears to be settling perfectly into football in England, as he netted a goal on his league debut with Chelsea.
Speaking regarding Nkunku and his favorite position, Mauricio Pochettino said that the Frenchman's “best position is more like a 10 or a 9”
The Argentine tactician added that Christopher Nkunku is “more than the left or right side like a winger”.
Nkunku joined Chelsea on July 1, 2023, for a fee of €60 million, and he suffered a knee injury that kept him out of action for most parts of the season.
However, he has returned and it appears it is with a bang, as his influence could help galvanize the Blues towards better fortunes in the coming games.
Mauricio Pochettino also lauded Christopher Nkunku, saying that the forward “is now starting to understand the Premier League, that teams are very aggressive and the football is very different to other countries”.
The Frenchman has got pace and trickery and he is also a deadly finisher. His outstanding finishing ability was witnessed in the German Bundesliga last term, as he finished the season as the joint-top scorer with 16 goals and 4 assists from 25 matches.