September 25th 2023.
Paul Merson has sounded the alarm bells for Chelsea and their fans. The Blues have had a disastrous start to the season, having only won one of their opening six Premier League matches. And with a tough run of fixtures ahead, Merson feels Mauricio Pochettino is getting 'a bit panicky'.
"If you look at Chelsea's fixtures, you worry for them," Merson told Sky Sports. "The next 10 games are so vital for their season that you can't catch your breath. It's a run where you actually don't know when they're going to win a football match. So Wednesday is a huge football match. If they get beat here, they will have won three games in their last 24. One was against Luton and you don't know when they will win a game."
Merson noted that Chelsea's win against AFC Wimbledon in the cup and against Bournemouth in the league last season were both 'over the line' victories. He also pointed to Pochettino's recent comments regarding patience and process, saying they show the manager is 'starting to get a bit panicky'.
"Even Mauricio Pochettino is coming out and is now saying: 'It's a process, you have to be patient'. When a manager comes out and says that, it shows they are starting to get a bit panicky. Even he doesn't think it was meant to be like this.
"If he is saying that already, it's a worry. I hope he gets that patience and time, they have injuries too. But I'm worried."
It remains to be seen what the future holds for Pochettino and Chelsea, but one thing is certain - the next 10 fixtures will be crucial to the club's season.
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