January 24th 2024.
During Chelsea's dominating 6-1 victory against Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup semi final, manager Mauricio Pochettino made a strategic decision to replace Mykhailo Mudryk at half time. Pochettino revealed that the reason for this substitution was because Mudryk was playing too risky, which could have potentially led to a second yellow card. The manager did not want to take any chances and risk losing Mudryk for future games.
Chelsea's impressive win secured their spot at Wembley on February 25th, where they will face either Fulham or Liverpool. It was a comprehensive victory over the Championship club at Stamford Bridge, but Mudryk had a difficult time making an impact in the first half. As a result, he was replaced by Noni Madueke at the break after receiving a yellow card.
When asked about the decision to sub Mudryk at half time, Pochettino explained, "If you watch the game, he got a yellow card. Then there was an action at the end of the first half that was too risky. He nearly touched the opponent and could have gotten a second yellow. We didn't want to take any risks with him."
The manager also addressed the issue of unnecessary yellow cards during games, stating, "Yes, I think it was an unnecessary risk to have him on the pitch. That's why we made the change." Pochettino believes that this win and the upcoming trip to Wembley will not only boost the team's confidence, but also improve their mentality and overall mindset.
He added, "This is really important for us. We will be facing two amazing teams in Fulham or Liverpool, so it won't be easy. But we need to believe that we can win. This is a crucial step for us in terms of building our confidence and belief in ourselves. It will also motivate the players, especially as many of them are close to returning from injuries."
Pochettino acknowledges that Chelsea's mentality is incredible, as they always strive for victory. However, he also recognizes that this is a new team and they need to work on building their own confidence and trust within the team. Playing in a final at Wembley against tough opponents like Liverpool or Fulham will only help in this process.
He concluded, "The club's mentality is amazing, but we are a new team. We need to build our own confidence and trust. Going to Wembley and playing in a final against Liverpool or Fulham will only strengthen our mentality. This experience will be crucial for us, especially since we are not in the Champions League or any other European competitions. It will build our trust, confidence, and overall mentality."
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