Chelsea supporters will be eager to see their team gain some momentum following their poor start to the campaign. The Blues might have invested heavily in the last transfer window once again yet they were not able to transfer that onto the pitch. Chelsea have struggled just like last season when they finished outside the top half of the Premier League table. Despite showing glimpses of potential, the Stamford Bridge outfit has been largely disappointing so far.
Next up for Chelsea is a trip to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League. With both clubs based out in London, this fixture will hold special significance for their supporters. Not to mention this game will also see a reunion for the Blues manager Mauricio Pochettino. He played an important role in helping Tottenham reach great heights between 2014 and 2019. They even reached a Champions League final before losing to Liverpool and were a regular top four side under him.
Mauricio Pochettino on Tottenham return
Speaking about his return, Pochettino, quoted on the club’s website, said ahead of the match, “I don’t believe we need to show something special. We need to be natural, that’s the most important thing. You cannot underestimate the Tottenham and Chelsea fans. I don’t want to be a hypocrite and say something I don’t feel, or I’m in the process of creating. People are clever.”
He added: “Chelsea fans know I was Tottenham, they know about the Champions League, they know about the Battle of the Bridge. It’s impossible to hide this emotion. Now I cannot say I forget all those things. That would be stupid. I’m going to be natural. I hope to enjoy to a great game, I want to win, that is our competitive side, and at the same time I want to enjoy being in a place that I was part of the process of building something special. That’s it. I am really calm, and I want to enjoy it, and I hope for a good night for us.”
Why does Pochettino like to face an attacking team?
Tottenham have been impressive this season under new manager Ange Postecoglou. They are playing good attacking football and have emerged as a surprise title contender. However, Pochettino believes that playing a side that will be attacking them will help Chelsea. “When we play against blocks that play so low, we struggle to find and to understand a little bit the positional game and movement. When we have space, we can perform better and create more chances,” he explained.
“You need to have the capacity to be mature. We are talking about a young team who need to grow. You need to be patient. You have to understand the time in the game: when you need to attack, when you need to keep calm and keep possession and circulate the ball. These are all things that come with time. At the moment we don’t have time.”
The manager added: “That’s why we struggle with blocks that play so low. We start to rush decisions, and make mistakes, and not be in positions where we should be. We lost the Nottingham Forest, Villa and Brentford games in transition. At 0-0, we need to not lose patience, and keep believing for sure we are going to score. That hasn’t happened. For us that’s why it is better when we play a team that is going to attack you, and also give you space to run.”
Read More: World News | Entertainment News | Celeb News
247
