- Mauricio Pochettino called for patience as his young squad continues to develop
- Chelsea have managed just one win from their last five Premier League games
- ‘There’s no bigger waste of time!’ What is the point of the Club World Cup? It’s All Kicking Off
Mauricio Pochettino likened the Chelsea job to trying to build a new house without solid foundations and a roof, a task he also admits comes with risk.
Struggling and inconsistent Chelsea, defeated in three of their last four, have been ravaged by injury this season hampering Pochettino’s attempts to settle into his new Stamford Bridge home.
And three more big setbacks for captain Reece James, goalkeeper Robert Sanchez and Marc Cucurella at Everton last week left Pochettino saying: ‘We have a lot of injury issues and it’s like building a house and some of the stuff are not there but we need to keep believing.
‘The roof? Not there yet. We have good people building the house, good architects. We have the best company, architects, very creative and good – already proven.
‘But when you want to build something you need solid foundations which sometimes are affected because of the nature of the circumstances. You dig the hole and there is water, it is not because of the company. An unexpected situation which delays the possibility to move quicker than you expected. Unfortunately we received too many hits against us.’
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino likened his young side to a house without solid foundations
Chelsea’s injury issues have been compounded by Reece James’ recent hamstring injury
Over £1bn has been spent on players by owners Todd Boehly/Clearlake Capital but in an unprecedented manner.
Ready-made players have been largely ignored and faith put in young players and Pochettino said: ‘If you want to buy a new house you go to the market and choose the best house. A new house, already finished, this one, bam.
‘But if you want to build a house you know you need to take some risks. We are going to need more time.’
Time is not something Chelsea managers tend to get too much of. And despite claims that things will be different in this new era, Graham Potter only lasted just under seven months last season.
Pochettino said: ‘The communication [with the owners] is the same from the beginning of the season, when we were in pre-season to today. But no words in football. The most important thing is being here.
‘If I am here it is because they trust. If not in the moment that they stop to trust, don’t worry you will see not me here.’
The Blues have struggled with consistency this season and sit 14 points adrift of the top four
Reciprocating that belief, Pochettino’s faith in Chelsea’s grand plan is unwavering. He hailed the job as ‘amazing’ and project ‘exciting’ before adding: ‘The challenge is massive but I really believe that we can succeed.
‘The most difficult thing in football is to keep believing when you don’t get the result you want. [But] We will succeed for sure. You will see. Maybe today you can say this guy is crazy but I am not crazy. I know what I am doing, [I’m] 51 years old.’
He will be aiming to prove that against rock-bottom Sheffield United without goalkeeper Sanchez who is facing four weeks out with a knee injury leaving rookie Djordje Petrovic set for a full debut.
James will find out on Monday if he needs surgery on his latest hamstring injury while Marc Cucurella will learn more about the extent of his ankle injury in the ‘coming days’ after he needed additional scans following initial tests due to swelling around the joint.
On the plus side, summer arrival Christopher Nkunku is set to make Chelsea’s squad for the first time today after suffering a pre-season knee injury.
