Pochettino’s tenure at Chelsea commenced on a challenging note, marked by the team’s ten losses so far in the ongoing Premier League season, positioning them at 11th place in the league standings. The Argentine manager criticized the perceived unfairness of critics who have failed to recognize the persistent injury crisis affecting the squad’s performance this season.
Ahead of their upcoming match against Crystal Palace on Monday, Chelsea faces the prospect of missing up to nine crucial players, with defender Benoit Badiashile being the latest casualty. Pochettino emphasized the difficulty of achieving results without key players and expressed frustration at the lack of consideration given to the team’s circumstances when evaluating their performance.
In a statement to reporters before Monday’s fixture, Pochettino highlighted the challenge of continually providing context and explanation for the team’s situation, suggesting a need for understanding and support from observers. He acknowledged the seven-month struggle to convey the team’s challenges and emphasized the importance of focusing on winning matches rather than expending energy on repetitive explanations.
The list of Chelsea’s injured players is extensive, including captain Reece James, goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella, Romeo Lavia, and Lesley Ugochukwu. Additionally, star players such as Christopher Nkunku, Ben Chilwell, Malo Gusto, and Carney Chukwuemeka have faced significant time off due to injuries during the 2023/24 season.
Chelsea aims to return to winning form against struggling Crystal Palace before confronting reigning champions Manchester City in the Premier League on February 17th.
Chelsea performance and stats
Chelsea is currently 11th in the Premier League with 31 points.
In the last 23 games, it has won 9 times, drawn 4 times, and lost 10 times. In its last match, Chelsea lost 2-4 against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
It has a negative goal difference after scoring 38 goals and conceding 39.
Chelsea will play the next match in Premier League against Crystal Palace on Monday 12th of February in London. The prediction is Chelsea winning the match.