Following a deflating 2-1 loss to Wolverhampton at Molineux Stadium on Christmas Eve, no group has misplaced extra Premier League matches than Chelsea in 2023 with 19. Striker Christopher Nkunku scored his first aim for the Blues nevertheless it wasn’t sufficient to offset Matt Doherty and Mario Lemina scoring for a Wolves aspect that has quickly improved beneath supervisor Gary O’Neil. The Blues will now enter Christmas tenth within the Premier League. Regardless of spending 467 million euros on new gamers this season, there was no enchancment beneath supervisor Mauricio Pochettino.
Final season, by means of 18 video games, Chelsea had 26 factors. This season, on the similar level, they’re off the tempo that noticed Thomas Tuchel exit, with solely 22 factors. Within the desk, they’re barely forward of the place they completed final season, in twelfth. Missed probabilities have continued to hang-out Chelsea, and their ending has been a problem for some time. Underperforming their anticipated targets in 10 of 18 matches this season, Chelsea truly received the xG battle in opposition to Wolves 2.05 to 1.31, however the one which issues is the ultimate rating, which favored the Midlands membership.
It does, nevertheless, present one glimmer of hope within the type of Nkunku. In solely 32 minutes on the pitch, the French ahead was capable of take 4 photographs on his 17 touches, scoring a aim. If Nkunku can help in turning these photographs into targets, it might be sufficient to show the Blues round, however they want consistency beneath Pochettino. With Enzo Fernandez lacking time and the wingers not performing, there was loads of rotation, however with Nkunku getting again to full health, one spot within the XI will likely be secured.
Loads must be completed because the Blues are six factors off even a Convention League place. It is one thing that Pochettino does acknowledge that must be modified. Following their efficiency, he mused about what a number of the points could also be for the Blues.
“We have spoken so much because the begin of the season, and we all know we’re a younger group,” Pochettino mentioned about Chelsea’s efficiency. “A few of these gamers are enjoying within the Premier League for the primary time and they should achieve confidence enjoying at this degree. They should adapt to play at this degree and, in fact, it’s about confidence and perception in themselves. We’re a younger group that should study from video games like this. We all know we are able to nonetheless enhance and that’s one thing we have to work on.”
A type of younger gamers, Cole Palmer, will now be suspended for his or her subsequent match in opposition to Crystal Palace because of yellow card accumulation because the Blues have put themselves into poor positions time and time this season. Constant enjoying time does assist however with such a bloated squad, it isn’t like Pochettino can play everybody so extra of the youthful members of the group have to step as much as assist drive Chelsea ahead.
This group will not make it again to their greatest with out contributions from their beneath 23 gamers. All of them have shined at instances earlier than becoming a member of Chelsea so Pochettino has the job of determining the way to get all of them again to their greatest collectively. However at Chelsea, time waits for nobody and if performances do not enhance quickly, Pochettino’s seat may start to get heat regardless of him not having coached Chelsea for a full season but.
