Mauricio Pochettino leaves Chelsea by mutual consent

[Sciatika]

4 hours ago, Mark Kelly said:

Reports would have it we are, could be cobblers though. 

I think an intelligently run business that is currently on plan A would consider plans B, C, D, and E. They may not be actively recruiting, but I bet they talk to other clubs and the agents of both players and managers to see where the ground lies. That doesn't mean they are looking to get rid of Poch, especially as he only has one more year on his contract. 

[Ham]

2 hours ago, ROTG said:

You are spot on. 
 

There is a lot of heads coming up from hiding behind the parapet when the team have a couple of good results and will disappear again should results go south. 

I find it's the opposite.  A lot of people only pipe up when someone has a bad game or when we play badly. 

[Chelsea_Matt]

2 hours ago, boratsbrother said:

Why do you (and so many others  to be fair) refuse to accept these players were not signed with the expectations of them making a top or even good side this season?  They were very clearly signed as part of a long-term plan which will they hope will see them grow into becoming a  top side for many years to come. 

Only time will tell if this plan will work, but from what I'm seeing, i'd put my money on then being ptoven right in the long-term.

 

There’s a difference between that and just being shit. 

[east lower]

7 hours ago, Mark Kelly said:

Exactly. 

It's taken a long time to get here and with a bit of organising it would have been achieved earlier. 

We are beginning to see how good our players are despite their ages and how Pochettino can get them playing. 

But when the club is now actively looking for a replacement it may be too little too late for Pochettino. 

Too often fails when a prize is in sight, too many times for it to be chance.

Forced into a midfield change that he’d not chosen when there was a choice.

Never was good enough for a top side and still isn’t.

[kev61]

9 hours ago, My Blood Is Blue said:

A big issue for me with Poch this season has been the manner of some of our defeats and what has felt like his impact on them, either through poor selection choices (and I don't mean being forced into changes because of injuries, that's obviously not his fault) and his lack of ability to change things mid match when it's clear for all to see that the game is either getting away from us or the momentum is shifting. The Villa match showed he is capable of this, but I can't think of many other times he's done anything like that this season... it's more often the opposite.

I expected more from Poch this season, I expected so much more organisation than we've seen and expected us to be hard to break down and beat. I completely understand the issues we have had with injuries and that has to be taken into account, but some of the performances really have been appalling by anyone's standards.

If we win all our remaining games this season and do so alongside impressive performances, then I may reconsider my views on how things have gone for Poch this season as I think that would show that progress has been made and a corner has at least begun to be turned, but I'm not totally convinced we won't have another disasterclass on Sunday.

I see the arguments for keeping him next season: we have a young squad, that doesn't need any more disruption and the alternatives at the moment aren't that great. I do think that if Poch leads us into next season, he won't have any excuses or caveats to lean on and expectations will increase.

Nailed it Sam.As someone who thinks Poch is clueless - if we look impressive in the run in and reach the top six it would be stupid to say he doesn't deserve another season.

I have absolutely no agenda with Poch,if he manages to improve the team I will be the first to eat humble pie and gladly.

The problem I have is he looks feeble and scared to be in charge of a top club.

[Sleeping Dave]

For the Everton game we had 14 players out injured. 14! 

I think we are past explanations that are centered around “unlucky circumstances”. Before we can do anything else, such as having strong opinions on the manager or the players for that matter, this issue needs to be resolved. 

How on earth are you supposed to perform or build any sort of cohesion out on the pitch when players are out injured to that extent? I don’t think we have had less than 8 players injured all season. 

Whatever we do in the summer, the highest priority must be to get this issue resolved one way or the other. If players like James and Chilwell are deemed as damaged goods then they should be sold. If our physios aren’t doing their job they should be replaced. If the medical department aren’t doing their checks thorough enough they should be replaced. Etc etc.

We simply can’t go through another season with this kind of injury record.  

[boratsbrother]

The injury problems have been getting worse and worse in recent years and not just at Chelsea either. Too much football played at high pace and intensity is taking its toll on those who's bodies are not extremely sturdy. 

 

[Thiago97]

Regarding injuries, a number of clubs have suffered on this front more than ever this season.

I do wonder if VAR is having some contribution to this. So many matches are close to 100minutes long now, in some cases even longer. VAR is stretching games by an extra 8-10 minutes , at the very end of the game when players are already very tired and more susceptible to injury imo.

8-10 mins don’t sound much, but when it’s the best part of 25-30 games per season, it’s working our circa an additional 3 games a season in terms of additional playing time.

[blueboy1905]

34 minutes ago, Thiago97 said:

Regarding injuries, a number of clubs have suffered on this front more than ever this season.

I do wonder if VAR is having some contribution to this. So many matches are close to 100minutes long now, in some cases even longer. VAR is stretching games by an extra 8-10 minutes , at the very end of the game when players are already very tired and more susceptible to injury imo.

8-10 mins don’t sound much, but when it’s the best part of 25-30 games per season, it’s working our circa an additional 3 games a season in terms of additional playing time.

Any top team is expected to play 50+ games per season. We've had no European football this season although gone far in both Cup competitions. Personally I'd play youth / second string teams in the League cup and concentrate all our resources in the league / early stages of Europa league (if we qualify). It cannot be a coincidence that Clownlake came in and got rid of an established medical department before replacing it with an inferior model.

[east lower]

36 minutes ago, Thiago97 said:

Regarding injuries, a number of clubs have suffered on this front more than ever this season.

I do wonder if VAR is having some contribution to this. So many matches are close to 100minutes long now, in some cases even longer. VAR is stretching games by an extra 8-10 minutes , at the very end of the game when players are already very tired and more susceptible to injury imo.

8-10 mins don’t sound much, but when it’s the best part of 25-30 games per season, it’s working our circa an additional 3 games a season in terms of additional playing time.

It’s more likely the far harder pitches. All in the PL have ultra-efficient drainage systems and a synthetic grass mixture - that’s perhaps why the increase is general and across the board - Except the goons, what are they doing differently? That’s what I’d be taking a closer look at! 

[My Blood Is Blue]

1 hour ago, Thiago97 said:

Regarding injuries, a number of clubs have suffered on this front more than ever this season.

I do wonder if VAR is having some contribution to this. So many matches are close to 100minutes long now, in some cases even longer. VAR is stretching games by an extra 8-10 minutes , at the very end of the game when players are already very tired and more susceptible to injury imo.

8-10 mins don’t sound much, but when it’s the best part of 25-30 games per season, it’s working our circa an additional 3 games a season in terms of additional playing time.

Also, the VAR decisions can sometimes take up to 2/3 minutes and what is happening to the players at that time? They're standing around, muscles cooling down and then suddenly have to get going again, sometimes after a feeling of injustice, which may make them run harder and quicker to avenge the injustice.

45 minutes ago, east lower said:

It’s more likely the far harder pitches. All in the PL have ultra-efficient drainage systems and a synthetic grass mixture - that’s perhaps why the increase is general and across the board - Except the goons, what are they doing differently? That’s what I’d be taking a closer look at! 

Yep, this is probably part of it as well. I'd definitely be taking a look at the playing surfaces at Cobham and seeing if that is having an impact.

I also think that players are overworked and arguably too well looked after in the modern game. I can't remember who it was saying it, it was one of the 100s of former footballers on a podcast I think, but they commented that back when the likes of Lampard and Drogba were playing, they'd finish training and then go and hit free kick and practice shooting for hours, before finishing on the pitches for the day, whereas now the players aren't allowed to do that, as soon as training finishes they are in and instructed to do whatever is next on the list because sports science says so. I know very little about sports science, but I do have to question whether it's gone so far the other way, that the players' bodies are so finely perfected to perform, that they are now more prone to breaking, if you know what I mean? I may be talking nonsense, but just a thought.

[Sciatika]

47 minutes ago, My Blood Is Blue said:

Also, the VAR decisions can sometimes take up to 2/3 minutes and what is happening to the players at that time? They're standing around, muscles cooling down and then suddenly have to get going again, sometimes after a feeling of injustice, which may make them run harder and quicker to avenge the injustice.

Yep, this is probably part of it as well. I'd definitely be taking a look at the playing surfaces at Cobham and seeing if that is having an impact.

I also think that players are overworked and arguably too well looked after in the modern game. I can't remember who it was saying it, it was one of the 100s of former footballers on a podcast I think, but they commented that back when the likes of Lampard and Drogba were playing, they'd finish training and then go and hit free kick and practice shooting for hours, before finishing on the pitches for the day, whereas now the players aren't allowed to do that, as soon as training finishes they are in and instructed to do whatever is next on the list because sports science says so. I know very little about sports science, but I do have to question whether it's gone so far the other way, that the players' bodies are so finely perfected to perform, that they are now more prone to breaking, if you know what I mean? I may be talking nonsense, but just a thought.

As often as not, they go on to do advertising and charity work, and then there are a host of events in the evening assuming they are not travelling to away fixtures or on club tours.

[boratsbrother]

If the pitches were too hard the players would have spoken out about them by now. They're not going to risk the possibility of damaging their career by playing on pitches they know could cause them injury problems.

[Sleeping Dave]

On 04/05/2024 at 10:35, boratsbrother said:

The injury problems have been getting worse and worse in recent years and not just at Chelsea either. Too much football played at high pace and intensity is taking its toll on those who's bodies are not extremely sturdy. 

 

 

23 hours ago, Thiago97 said:

Regarding injuries, a number of clubs have suffered on this front more than ever this season.

I do wonder if VAR is having some contribution to this. So many matches are close to 100minutes long now, in some cases even longer. VAR is stretching games by an extra 8-10 minutes , at the very end of the game when players are already very tired and more susceptible to injury imo.

8-10 mins don’t sound much, but when it’s the best part of 25-30 games per season, it’s working our circa an additional 3 games a season in terms of additional playing time.

Although there is some truth to what you say, no club has suffered like us. The real worry here is that it isn’t the first season either, we’ve had injury problems since Roman left us. If there is causality, and not only correlation, is hard to say. But the injury issues we have now is beyond  reasonable. 

If this is the new normal, we will need a minimum 30 man squad next season and that will be absolute minimum. That would mean we’d have roughly 20 senior players available at any given time. That is no way to run a football club. 

[thevelourfog]

Probably one for the injury thread, but at this point in the season I can't help but suspect that it isn't physical health that's made some players unavailable. Some are gone, want out or are being forced out imo, and Nkunku and Sterling are the two who jump out to me.

[Sciatika]

This quote from Poch is almost JM-like:

Quote

"The tactical evolution that we, the coaching staff, have in our heads – yes, we will apply in the future but the most important thing, you cannot sit if you don't have a chair. You need to build the chair."

 

[boratsbrother]

2 hours ago, Sciatika said:

This quote from Poch is almost JM-like:

 

Talking openly  about his future plans for the team very much suggests he's staying next season. 

[Sciatika]

Maybe he was telling us that he planned to spend the summer doing some carpentry.

[Chelsea_Matt]

2 minutes ago, Sciatika said:

Maybe he was telling us that he planned to spend the summer doing some carpentry.

🪑 🪚⛏️ he meant this season was to lay foundations I think. I don’t think he’s going anywhere. If that’s the case and we tweak the squad properly then I’m more than happy to start with a clean slate as far as Poch is concerned. 

[Thiago97]

47 minutes ago, Chelsea_Matt said:

🪑 🪚⛏️ he meant this season was to lay foundations I think. I don’t think he’s going anywhere. If that’s the case and we tweak the squad properly then I’m more than happy to start with a clean slate as far as Poch is concerned. 

Maybe my 7/10 for Poch a month back, was not quite as ridiculous as made out , as you seem to have come full circle 

[Bones]

7 hours ago, Sciatika said:

This quote from Poch is almost JM-like:

 

Who builds their own chairs? Hands up 🙋‍♂️

[Proud-Blue]

I genuinely think the owners have not decided what to do yet. The next three games will be absolutely crucial. If we get Europa League, I'd be pretty certain he's safe.

[boratsbrother]

4 hours ago, Sciatika said:

Maybe he was telling us that he planned to spend the summer doing some carpentry.

I'm genuinely intrigued with Poch and his coaches  plans to change or tweek the way we are playing.  He can see what he's doing is starting to work but that's not good enough for him and therefore must think what he had in store is going to be even better. 

He has talked a lot of guff, but this is the kind of talk makes up for it. As you say, very peak Jose like. 

I really do think we could be onto something very good indeed. I'm going as far as saying 4th next season and a title challenge the season after.

[Sciatika]

I am still waiting for the end of the season. We have had highs and lows this season, and knee-jerk reactions are dangerous whether we have just lost in an embarrassing way to Arsenal or Liverpool or tonked Spurs or West Ham. In the end, the table will reveal where we are and that's the time to consider what, if anything, should be done.. 

Edited May 7 by Sciatika

[martin1905]

No way we sack him if we come 6th after reaching one final and getting to be semi of the other.

Even if we finish 7th/8th I can no longer see him going.