Mauricio Pochettino has had an up-and-down start to life at Chelsea, but, despite some improvements in style of play, are his Chelsea side actually better than Graham Potter’s team last year?
Are Pochettino’s Chelsea Better Than Potter’s?
At this point in the Premier League season last year, the cracks had already begun to show in Graham Potter’s Chelsea tenure.
With the team struggling to buy into Potter’s style of play, along with a blunt strikeforce, Chelsea were languishing in 8th after 15 games having averaged just north of a goal a game and with a goal difference of just 2.
For a Chelsea team that had won the Champions League the previous year this was an underwhelming start to the season. Surely it couldn’t get much worse than that?
Unfortunately for current boss Mauricio Pochettino, it has got worse. Having taken over in the summer, the Argentinian has faced similar struggles to his last permanent predecessor in terms of implementing his style of play.
Chelsea now find themselves in 10th position, just on the right side of the Premier League table ‘fold’, but 5 points worse off than last season and with an identical goal difference.
This being said, Chelsea do look to have turned a corner in recent times and have looked a much more organised outfit, although, their recent defeat to Manchester United has been damaging.
🗣️ "We know what we need to do"
Mauricio Pochettino admits his Chelsea side are late in their development but is sure that his side are 'building something that will pay off' 🔹 pic.twitter.com/LwQNT1IyCr
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) December 8, 2023
What Does Pochettino Say About Potter’s Chelsea Doing Better Last Season?
Speaking to the media before Chelsea’s tough away fixture in the Premier League against Everton, Pochettino was asked about the 5-point difference from last season, to which he responded: “It’s a process where it is difficult to put the date.
“To finish and to start to perform and be consistent, it is a process that always takes time. We know really well what we want and after you need also some luck to keep the players fit or involved, to increase the competition between them until we find this momentum.
“At the moment we need to stay calm, keep pushing because we are so close, we didn’t have the luck we deserve. Too many teams were wining games sometimes when they didn’t deserve but for us it is to deserve and be better and be clinical and create more chances.
“We didn’t win games we didn’t deserve. Some time to build confidence and trust but we are going to keep pushing, working really hard. I think we know what we need to do and only with time that happens.”
Do you think Pochettino has improved Chelsea?
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