- Chelsea have conceded the second most goals from crosses so far this season
- Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino admitted his side have plenty of work to do
- Mauricio Pochettino has so much work to do with woeful Chelsea – It’s All Kicking Off
Upset Mauricio Pochettino admits his side have plenty of work to do on their defending from crosses ahead of their visit to the Premier League’s tallest team Everton.
Pochettino branded Chelsea’s current situation as ‘unbelievable’ and insisted they need to improve their organisation and desire after conceding Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay’s match-winning back-post header despite focussing part of their preparation on trying to prevent exactly that sort of situation.
McTominay outmuscled stand-in captain Levi Colwill to score from Alejandro Garnacho’s cross leaving Pochettino facing questions about his side being bullied.
Only three teams have conceded more headed league goals this season than Chelsea’s six.
Chelsea have also shipped seven from crosses and just Sheffield United have a worse record with 12.
Mauricio Pochettino admits his side have plenty of work to do on their defending from crosses
Scott McTominay’s winner in Chelsea’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford on Wednesday was the seventh goal this season that they have conceded from crosses
‘I think it is unbelievable,’ Pochettino said about McTominay’s goal. ‘We didn’t put the pressure that we should on the side to avoid the crosses.
‘Conceding in this way, maybe I am not showing too much emotion, but I am really upset. We need to work much, much better in these situations.
‘It is both organisation and desire. We need to stop the crosses because after, if it is “oh it’s not my problem because the opponent crossed” then for the defensive line it is so difficult to defend these type of situations.’
‘We need to improve in our position. It is collective. But also in the capacity to be more aggressive to stop the opponent crossing so easily. It is both things.’
If anyone could exploit Chelsea’s frailty it is towering Everton helped by the fact the Londoners, in contrast, are one of the league’s smaller sides.
The Blues boss admitted he is ‘really upset’ with their vulnerability from crosses this season
They face Everton, who are the tallest team in the top flight and are also prolific from crosses
Pochettino said: ‘It [the lack of height] can be a problem but maybe no. In football, it’s the way you approach the game, the attitude and then being clever, trying to avoid giving the possibility to the opponents to use their strengths.
‘When you create a team and build a team, yes you need to, in the Premier League, pay attention to this. Of course, it’s not that we will defend better if we have taller players but I think the balance is important. We have a good balance and we deal, but in the Premier League, not only us, but all the teams we concede…’
Except for Everton that is, the only top flight side not to let in a headed goal this season.
‘Not yet?,’ Pochettino said. ‘Hope that we can [score one]. We are going to try.’
