Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has admitted that he cannot criticise the fans after his players were booed during their midweek defeat at the hands of Manchester United. The Blues were beaten at Old Trafford to compound their woes in the Premier League, with the result marking their sixth defeat of the campaign and leaving them stuck firmly in mid-table.
A smattering of boos were heard at full-time as Chelsea’s players trudged over to thank the away support, leading to concerns that some fans may be turning on the club’s misfiring stars. Pochettino was quizzed on the topic in Friday’s press conference and was quick to insist that supporters have the right to express their views when their expectations are not being met.
“We cannot say nothing to the fans,” he said. “They react how they feel and we cannot blame them. If we are not playing well it is normal we are getting criticised from them.”
Pochettino went on to declare that a place in the Premier League’s top four is still the target for Chelsea but admitted that it may already be out of reach, with the Blues now 11 points adrift of fourth-placed Manchester City.
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“We knew when we accepted this offer it was going to be tough,” he added. “We are going to challenge [for the top four], yes. Maybe not now but in the future. Hopefully as soon as possible.”
Chelsea have been the Premier League’s busiest club in terms of transfers over the last few seasons, with their squad now almost completely unrecognisable to the one that won the Champions League two years ago. It has made it difficult for Pochettino to transform his group of individuals into a successful team, but he is prepared to play the waiting game in order to enjoy the fruits of his labour.
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He explained: “This type of period is normal, it is tough because we are Chelsea. We need to see the reality that sometimes we struggle and we don’t have the possibility to use all of the elements. We need to give time.
“There are a lot of players that arrive with contracts longer than us. Now is not only to bring players in, it is to work with them and to put all in context to create a dynamic and to create a team. That is the most difficult challenge we have. We have talented players but we need to create this platform where they find their their place and start to feel they belong to this group and the team and the club.”
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