Coach Pochettino: 'Chelsea will find it difficult to compete for top 4'

Coach Mauricio Pochettino admitted Chelsea feels pressured after poor results this season and needs more time to improve.

"We will compete for a Champions League ticket, but not now, but in the future," coach Pochettino said at a press conference before round 16 of the Premier League on December 8.

Chelsea suffered their sixth defeat in the Premier League at Man Utd on December 7. Coach Pochettino and his team are in 10th place with 19 points, 11 points behind fourth-placed Man City when the season is almost halfway through.

Pochettino has only achieved a 44% win rate with Chelsea - the lowest in his coaching career since his time at Southampton in 2013. Photo: ESPN — Pochettino has only achieved a 44% win rate with Chelsea - the lowest in his coaching career since his time at Southampton in 2013. Photo: *ESPN*

Chelsea still had bright spots this season, such as a big win over Tottenham, defeating Brighton and drawing 4-4 with Man City. But their performance has been inconsistent despite spending more than 1 billion USD in the last three transfer windows.

Coach Pochettino assessed that Chelsea's bigger problem is the way they play. He said: "We have a lot of young players, they need to feel comfortable, confident. The pressure at Chelsea is always great, it will be greater when you don't win. We know what to do but it takes time, it can take a year or six months."

Chelsea will face Everton on Sunday, December 10. This away trip is expected to be difficult for the Blues, as the home team has won two of their last three games. Even though they lost 3-0 to Man Utd, Everton still played well and created many scoring opportunities. This team is determined to return after being penalized with a 10-point deduction by the Premier League.

"Everton are very hungry and have quality," added coach Pochettino. "No game is easy in this tournament. Although we are in the process of perfecting, Chelsea need to give everything to help themselves."

Pochettino signed a three-year contract with Stamford Bridge in May 2023. Before the Argentine coach, Chelsea went through four coaches in just two years.

Vy Anh

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