Inside Chelsea’s chaotic pre-season tour, from Pochettino’s digs at players to fears first Prem game could be a ‘MESS’
ANOTHER summer, but the same old teething problems for Chelsea.
Last July, former boss Thomas Tuchel took his side to the United States in the hope of preparing for a Premier League title push and another memorable European campaign.
What transpired was the tour from hell. Tuchel was left frustrated and irritable by the intense scheduling and tiring travel designed with the then-new US owner Todd Boehly in mind.
After an embarrassing 4-0 defeat to Arsenal in Orlando on July 23, 2022, Tuchel griped that his squad were not ready to start the Premier League at the levels he required.
Less than two months later, the German coach was sacked, and so began the spiral that ended with the Blues finishing in 12th – their lowest league standing for 29 years.
Fast forward a year under yet another manager, and lessons do not appear to have been learned.
Mauricio Pochettino has made the most of this time getting to know his team in another American tour. Results and performances have gradually improved and several players have remarked how much fitter they feel compared to last season.
Yet all is not well in paradise. The travel on this far longer trip across the pond has been far from ideal, being based first in Chapel Hill, North Carolina and then in Philadelphia while also jetting off to the likes of Atlanta and Washington for matches.
Poch has grumbled about the heat, as well as remarking about how cold the air-conditioned pitch felt for their clash with Brighton at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
And then there is the squad itself. Poch has made it clear on numerous occasions how he needs first-team-ready incomings.
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His 29-man tour group contains just TWO senior midfielders – Enzo Fernandez and Conor Gallagher, the latter linked with a move away.
The Moises Caicedo saga has already grated on Poch. He wanted the deal for Brighton’s Ecuador international to be done quickly so he could join up with the team in the States.
Instead, it has dragged on, impacting Poch’s mood in press conferences.
The Argentine has recently suggested the squad could be a “mess” for their Prem opener against Liverpool on August 13, having sold 13 players and bringing in just four so far.
Thinly-veiled digs have been aimed at players still deliberating over their futures in West London, with Poch impatient to get this new era at the club up and running.
He said: “It is not a threat. It is better if [the players] talk to me now. The decision will be tough but we need to build a good and balanced team who want to compete for things.”
Amid the chaos and uncertainty, there have been some positives. Youngsters Ian Maatsen and Andrey Santos have impressed when handed chances in the starting XI.
New forwards Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku have hit the ground running, scoring four goals between them in the States. Mykhailo Mudryk has finally found his scoring touch.
Yet the end of this trip cannot come soon enough for Poch. A final Premier League series meeting with Fulham on Sunday is followed by a trip to Chicago to face Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday.
And then, back at Cobham, the real work must begin on and off the pitch. If not, another rollercoaster season awaits them.
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