February 5th 2024.
The pressure on Mauricio Pochettino is mounting, but he's not the only one feeling the heat at Chelsea. According to reports, the club's recruitment team is also facing increased scrutiny and questions about their performance. After conceding four goals in their second consecutive Premier League match, Chelsea has now fallen below Wolves in the table.
Pochettino's team has struggled defensively this season, letting in 39 goals in just 23 league games. Surprisingly, this is a worse record than under their previous manager, Graham Potter. In fact, they have conceded more goals than 18th-placed Everton. Currently sitting in 11th place, Chelsea is 15 points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa, making their chances of qualifying for Europe through their league position seem slim. However, they could still secure a spot if they win the Carabao Cup.
After their 10th league loss of the season, the pressure on Pochettino is mounting. Even Thiago Silva's wife, Belle, has joined in, suggesting that it may be time for him to go. However, it's important to note that Pochettino is not solely responsible for Chelsea's struggles. According to the Daily Mail, key figures behind the scenes are also looking at the club's recruitment team.
Paul Winstanley, Laurence Stewart, and Joe Shields all hold senior positions in the recruitment department and have mainly focused on signing young players with potential. But now, there is a growing belief that this approach may have been a mistake. The team is lacking in leadership and experience, which could have been avoided if they had a more diverse squad.
When signing players, little thought was given to their age or experience in the Premier League. In their recent match against Wolves, only Thiago Silva and third-choice goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli were over the age of 30. The rest of the squad is mainly made up of young, inexperienced players. This has even been seen as a weakness by rival Premier League clubs, who are targeting Chelsea's young core.
It's important to note that Pochettino has had minimal involvement in the club's recruitment process. This is a significant factor to consider when analyzing his performance as a manager. Additionally, with three senior figures working on recruitment, it's possible that there are too many voices, making it difficult to implement a clear transfer strategy.
It's clear that there are ongoing issues at Chelsea, and the pressure is on for Pochettino and the recruitment team to turn things around. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how these challenges are addressed and if any changes are made to improve the team's performance.
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