March 2nd 2024.
Chelsea, under the management of Mauricio Pochettino, has faced a string of injuries this season. The absence of key players has greatly affected the team's performance, as highlighted by Pochettino's recent comments about Romeo Lavia. The manager described Lavia as a "very good player" and lamented his unavailability during Chelsea's draw against Brentford.
Despite taking the lead through Nicolas Jackson, Chelsea ended up succumbing to a 2-1 defeat in the second half. The pressure on Pochettino has only increased after this result, with fans even jeering and telling him to "f*** off" during the match. In a surprising move, Pochettino changed the team's formation for this game, opting for a 3-5-2 instead of his preferred 4-2-3-1.
In the post-match press conference, Pochettino clarified that the change in formation was not a tactical decision, but rather a result of Lavia's continued absence. The manager also mentioned the absence of other midfielders, such as Lesley Ugochukwu, who have also been injured. This has limited Pochettino's options to refresh the team and forced him to rely on a centre-back to provide support in midfield.
Pochettino further explained that the new formation was aimed at giving the midfielders more freedom and reducing their workload. However, the absence of key players has made it challenging to maintain consistency in the team's tactics. Lavia, who was signed from Southampton for a hefty fee of £53 million, has only played 32 minutes of football this season due to injuries. His absence has been a major setback for Chelsea, and Ugochukwu's season-ending hamstring injury has only added to their woes.
As Chelsea continues to face challenges on the field, their rivals are making moves off the pitch. Aston Villa is reportedly bracing for Arsenal's interest in one of their star players, while Paul Merson has made his Premier League predictions for the upcoming matches. In the meantime, Pochettino will have to make do with the players he has available and try to find solutions to improve Chelsea's performance.
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