Pochettino and Chelsea Depart Ways
He’s out. By now, the news has made it across the globe: Mauricio Pochettino will not continue at Chelsea. The club and the Argentinian manager have decided to part ways ahead of the 24/25 season. And, as always, uncertainty reigns.
Decoding Chelsea is always difficult because a manager can be sacked within the same season of his appointment. There is no clear coaching philosophy, innovative methodology, or guideline: Chelsea are the freestylers of football management.
The next Chelsea manager will be the club’s 24th (including caretakers) from 2000 onwards — which is more than the number of Popes there have been since 1722.
— Will Jeanes (@will_jeanes) May 21, 2024
De Zerbi: The Favourite
Chelsea’s likely appointment is Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi – who also confirmed his departure from the Seagulls. Reports claim that the Italian manager declined a job offer from Bayern Munich, making Chelsea the obvious choice as things stand.
However, it should be noted that Chelsea’s decision-making is notoriously predictable, and frequent managerial changes heavily impact the transfer market. Many players hesitate to join before knowing who will be at the helm. Although this might seem obvious, it is often overlooked. The problem with Chelsea, however, is that nobody knows what Todd Boehly has in mind.
A big share of Chelsea’s problems stemmed from the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino.
On his CV, his seasons in England were relatively successful, making a name for himself at Southampton and later Tottenham. However, his last job at Paris Saint-Germain was a disaster. There were few compelling reasons for Chelsea to choose him – apart from the limited pool of available coaches, ready to coach Chelsea’s chaotic situation. The Blues have bought numerous players since Todd Boehly’s takeover, and unfortunately, it doesn’t appear they are done shopping.
Club statement: Mauricio Pochettino
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 21, 2024
Many key profiles are still missing, and the departure of Thiago Silva – one of the best performers in recent years- leaves a significant void. Chelsea also never managed to replace the Rüdiger/Christensen pair, both of whom left for the Spanish sun.
Why Hiring Pochettino Never Made Sense
Mauricio Pochettino’s misfit was cultural – his usual ideas did not gel with the team from day one.
Playing a highline with this team was suicidal, and many players lacked clinical finishing. Pochettino was tasked with the difficult task of forging an identity and direction for the team while dealing with players who needed individualized training, such as Mudryk and Jackson.
Additionally, the Argentinian misprofiled his midfielders in the opening months, often leaving them exposed to counter-attacks. This meant that players like Enzo and Caicedo were left alone to fend off multiple attackers.
Until the final months of his tenure, Chelsea struggled to control games, a major problem under Pochettino. The Blues often faced low blocks, exemplified by teams like Burnley, and Poch never quite found solutions to break them down.
The entire league picked up on this weakness and employed the same strategy. Despite having multiple opportunities to correct his approach, it took Pochettino more than half a season to figure out how to reposition his players to avoid losing against low blocks.
With Chelsea set to face similar defensive setups next season, parting ways with Pochettino made perfect sense if he couldn’t address this fundamental problem.
While all of Poch’s issues are indeed valid criticisms, he was set up to fail. This is not the first time Chelsea’s culture of misguided appointments has failed all parties involved, and it raises a significant question: who will be willing to coach such an organizational mess?
Most players backed Poch – but it is also clear that the local culture quickly adapts to any change. Before hiring a new coach, Chelsea needs a clear project in mind – the current one lacks credibility. Anyone who understands coaching and squad planning understands that successful projects require hard work, patience and time.
Todd Boehly bought way too many players, and suddenly, it became the manager’s problem to integrate this influx of talent. Investing such a high amount of money without any immediate returns automatically loses credibility.
Chelsea needs to convince the potential successor that the club is moving in a coherent direction – something it has lacked since sacking Thomas Tuchel.
Not All is Doom and Gloom
There is hope for Chelsea – it’s not all doom and gloom at Stamford Bridge. The quality in Chelsea’s squad is undeniable.
Cole Palmer has been one of the best transfers in recent years, and the Englishman has topped the charts with his performances. He single-handedly saved Chelsea in many matches. Other players, like Enzo, Caicedo and Mudryk, are incredibly talented but need guidance and polishing.
With such top players, convincing a high-caliber manager should be relatively easy. At the same time, any top manager would probably demand more control over transfer targets. Is this something Boehly is willing to allow? This question will only be answered at the end of this summer.
Cole Palmer 🥶
Voted by the fans as the PFA Premier League 23/24 Fans’ Player of the Year 🏆
Congratulations 👏 #CFC pic.twitter.com/NpenJtuKL8
— Professional Footballers’ Association (@PFA) May 22, 2024
One major argument in Chelsea’s favour is its prolific academy. The Cobham Academy is one of the best in the world, allowing the future manager to rely on new talents to fill gaps in the squad.
However, finishing remains a significant issue. Many points were lost during the season because Chelsea failed to convert counter-attacks and subsequently conceded. Despite the talent pool, Chelsea still needs to invest in the market. How much will be available for transfers is a question that remains unanswered for now.
The Mystery of Chelsea’s Unsound Habits
Chelsea’s decision was sound but also self-inflicted. The Blues should not have hired Pochettino in the first place, and the ensuing drama throughout the season has damaged the club’s credibility. This doesn’t mean that things cannot improve, but it does mean that Chelsea needs to reassess its project and make wise hiring decisions.
Many of Chelsea’s decisions have been inexplicable, making it difficult for fans to trust the board to make the right appointment. As is often the case, it all comes down to strategy. Chelsea is a unique environment, with uncertainty as a constant cloud floating over Stamford Bridge.
Long-Term Bets – the Focus
Many of the players were signed on pricey deals with payments spread over five years or more, sometimes even seven or eight. This indicates that they were long-term bets.
Taking that into account, the club’s interest should be to find managers who would be willing to build around these players, such as Enzo, Caicedo and Mudryk.
The problem has never been the isolated decisions – most range from subpar to understandable. What remains unclear is the broader picture – what are the clubs’ aims, and how do Todd Boehly and his team plan to achieve them?
