Ahead of Chelsea’s FA Cup fourth round replay on Wednesday against Aston Villa, Mauricio Pochettino remained in a surprisingly upbeat mood considering his side had shipped four goals in their two previous matches.
The Argentinian is under extreme pressure at present given that his side have vastly underperformed during his tenure at Stamford Bridge.
Given his prior association with London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, it was always going to be a tough ask to win over the demanding Blues faithful, and nothing that he’s done so far in 2023/24 will have endured him to the home support.
Indeed, 11th place in the Premier League and some 15 points off Aston Villa in the final Champions League spot is a damning indictment of his time at the helm.
It’s the Villains who stand in Chelsea’s way of making it into the next round of the FA Cup, and though Pochettino has acknowledged the position his team find themselves in isn’t ideal, he is still remaining positive.
“It’s a tough job. It’s a difficult job here at Chelsea. But at the same time, it’s an exciting project,” he said to reporters in his pre-match press conference including representatives of CaughtOffside.
“Knowing it’s difficult, in this type of moment we are living in a situation that is not nice, we can learn. It’s a good opportunity to learn.”
The next few games will tell us much as to whether this crop of players can turn the corner under the Argentinian, or whether he’ll be given until the end of the season before being relieved of his duties.