we ain't got no history 
24-04-2024 08:56
24-04-2024 08:56
Mauricio Pochettino absolves Chelsea players of blame in embarrassing defeat against Arsenal
These things happen, claims Mauricio Pochettino.
Of course, when you succumb to the worst defeat to Arsenal in your club’s 119-year history and the worst defeat in any London Derby since 1986, all the while giving up more shots than in any other Premier League game since such records have been kept (2003) — breaking the record for shots given up in a half in the first half (13), only to then break that record again in the second half (14) — perhaps such things literally don’t happen.
Or at least they didn’t used to.
“I think we cannot blame the players. I am not going to blame the players. The circumstances are bigger than the performance of the players. We cannot blame young guys that came here and after suffering some circumstances, the team, you need to come here and fight against a team fighting for the Premier League.
“That is why you need to be careful. You cannot be unfair with our players. It is true that we are disappointed with our performance but I am not going to use a word that is not fair to describe our team, our players, our squad.”
“[...] I played football and I was in some similar situations with big players. I played with Maradona, Ronaldinho, but it’s true some part of the season, this type of thing can happen. Because also of the opponent, our energy, nothing is for you in this situation and you cannot find nothing positive during the game. This type of things happen and will happen for sure with different teams.”
-Mauricio Pochettino; source: Football.London
Chelsea lost at the Etihad 6-0 not all that long ago, back in 2019, and while I never thought it would get worse than that, that defeat was largely characterized by extreme tactical naïveté and idealism from then manager Maurizio Sarri — who, it should be noted, learned from that and still got us a trophy, and almost a second (losing to the same City team only on penalties in the League Cup final just a couple weeks later) while finishing third in the league. Last night, we got punched in the mouth, staggered back, got punched again, and then just laid down. We started the game looking like we’ve never played organized professional football; we finished it like we would never want to again. A shocking 90 minutes from start to finish, even by this team’s standards.
“We didn’t compete from the beginning of the game. After we conceded the team was so soft. I’m so disappointed with the start because we’re supposed to have full energy and compete better. We were not aggressive and we did not concentrate on situations where it is easy to find the solution. That is why I’m so disappointed.”
“We were talking at half-time to start in a different way. But we did not. When we conceded the third goal the team gave up. It was tough on them. [...] The team showed a lack of capacity to resist - that is what is the problem.”
-Mauricio Pochettino; source: BBC
That this game is making me look upon the worst of Sarrismo in a more favorable light should be indictment enough. That we’re somehow just chalking up the result to happenstance, to “circumstances” is infuriating.
Chelsea actually very refreshing to watch. So much heavy systems-football around. Here is a team with no plan — Barney Ronay (@barneyronay) April 23, 2024
The season isn’t over yet; the players are not this bad; the team isn’t this hopeless, aimless, gutless.
We still have an outside shot at a European spot. And even if that were not the case, at the very least we need to not do the half-hearted nonsense that characterized the end of the previous season. Where’s the progress there?
The players “gave up”, says Poch, but we mustn’t blame them, the poor souls.
Well, where does the buck stop then?
I am somewhat sympathetic to Pochettino for being handed a dog's dinner of a squad but there is no way you can lose in this manner and this scoreline to Arsenal and there not be consequences. And they won't or can't can the players. — Chelsea Youth (@chelseayouth) April 23, 2024
Of course, when you succumb to the worst defeat to Arsenal in your club’s 119-year history and the worst defeat in any London Derby since 1986, all the while giving up more shots than in any other Premier League game since such records have been kept (2003) — breaking the record for shots given up in a half in the first half (13), only to then break that record again in the second half (14) — perhaps such things literally don’t happen.
Or at least they didn’t used to.
“I think we cannot blame the players. I am not going to blame the players. The circumstances are bigger than the performance of the players. We cannot blame young guys that came here and after suffering some circumstances, the team, you need to come here and fight against a team fighting for the Premier League.
“That is why you need to be careful. You cannot be unfair with our players. It is true that we are disappointed with our performance but I am not going to use a word that is not fair to describe our team, our players, our squad.”
“[...] I played football and I was in some similar situations with big players. I played with Maradona, Ronaldinho, but it’s true some part of the season, this type of thing can happen. Because also of the opponent, our energy, nothing is for you in this situation and you cannot find nothing positive during the game. This type of things happen and will happen for sure with different teams.”
-Mauricio Pochettino; source: Football.London
Chelsea lost at the Etihad 6-0 not all that long ago, back in 2019, and while I never thought it would get worse than that, that defeat was largely characterized by extreme tactical naïveté and idealism from then manager Maurizio Sarri — who, it should be noted, learned from that and still got us a trophy, and almost a second (losing to the same City team only on penalties in the League Cup final just a couple weeks later) while finishing third in the league. Last night, we got punched in the mouth, staggered back, got punched again, and then just laid down. We started the game looking like we’ve never played organized professional football; we finished it like we would never want to again. A shocking 90 minutes from start to finish, even by this team’s standards.
“We didn’t compete from the beginning of the game. After we conceded the team was so soft. I’m so disappointed with the start because we’re supposed to have full energy and compete better. We were not aggressive and we did not concentrate on situations where it is easy to find the solution. That is why I’m so disappointed.”
“We were talking at half-time to start in a different way. But we did not. When we conceded the third goal the team gave up. It was tough on them. [...] The team showed a lack of capacity to resist - that is what is the problem.”
-Mauricio Pochettino; source: BBC
That this game is making me look upon the worst of Sarrismo in a more favorable light should be indictment enough. That we’re somehow just chalking up the result to happenstance, to “circumstances” is infuriating.
Chelsea actually very refreshing to watch. So much heavy systems-football around. Here is a team with no plan — Barney Ronay (@barneyronay) April 23, 2024
The season isn’t over yet; the players are not this bad; the team isn’t this hopeless, aimless, gutless.
We still have an outside shot at a European spot. And even if that were not the case, at the very least we need to not do the half-hearted nonsense that characterized the end of the previous season. Where’s the progress there?
The players “gave up”, says Poch, but we mustn’t blame them, the poor souls.
Well, where does the buck stop then?
I am somewhat sympathetic to Pochettino for being handed a dog's dinner of a squad but there is no way you can lose in this manner and this scoreline to Arsenal and there not be consequences. And they won't or can't can the players. — Chelsea Youth (@chelseayouth) April 23, 2024