Pochettino The Man To Steady The Ship At The Bridge

After a 2022/23 season to forget for Chelsea, manager Mauricio Pochettino looks to be ready to take the Blues into calmer waters and get the Premier League giants back on track. In a campaign that has seen three managers in the dugout at Stamford Bridge, it has been a roller-coaster season with few highs to speak of but better times could well be just around the corner.

Confidence At A Low At The Bridge

Chelsea would have considered themselves outside contenders for the title at the start of this season but there were early warning signs for then-manager Thomas Tuchel. Defeats at Leeds United and Southampton suggested the title might be out of reach this term and that competing for a Champions League spot was the best that could be hoped for.

The Blues have fallen well short of that target. Unfortunately, sportsbooks currently have the likes of Manchester United (1/5), Newcastle (7/20), Liverpool (71/50) and Brighton ranked in the EPL top 4 outright betting markets. In addition, a football forecast shows that Chelsea is set to finish in the bottom half of the Premier League standings, after a season of turmoil at Stamford Bridge.

There was hope Graham Potter would be able to turn things around after the Englishman’s sterling work on the south coast with Brighton. However, not even a rising star in the managerial world could turn the ship around and Potter was given his marching orders back in April. Club legend Frank Lampard returned for a second stint as interim boss but he was left with a squad short on confidence and seemingly just waiting for the nightmare season to be over. Chelsea have taken their time to appoint their next permanent manager and Pochettino looks set to take on one of the biggest jobs in English football.

Pochettino Can Get Chelsea’s House In Order

After two transfer windows of heavy recruitment, Chelsea has a somewhat bloated squad that Pochettino will be eager to trim down over the summer. A squad of around 30 players is too much for any major club, with too many stars set to be disgruntled they are not involved in the starting lineup on a weekend. Pochettino’s first task will be to remove the dead wood and try and bring unity back to a smaller group of players that can challenge for trophies next season.

There is no doubting the talent in the Chelsea squad and injuries this season have certainly not helped the Blues’ cause, with key midfielder N’Golo Kanté out on the sidelines for much of the campaign. Former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain head coach Pochettino will already have a rough idea of the players he wants to build a team around next season and who he might even want to bring in over the summer transfer window.

It’s set to be an intriguing summer at The Bridge as Chelsea takes stock of this season and builds towards the next one. Pochettino has a big challenge ahead of him but the Argentine has already shown in his career he has the skills required to help the Blues get back to the top.