It's Endlessly Sluggish, but I want to be Loved by Fans who don't have any Affection
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino expressed the need for continued support.
"Pochettino is waiting for Chelsea fans to fall in love with him before the upcoming match against Crystal Palace." As there is Valentine's Day in February, where love between lovers is important, Pochettino also seems to be longing for fans' affection.
When asked if he still feels the love of Chelsea fans, he said, "To be honest, I don't think so," adding, "Chelsea recently won the UEFA Champions League, has won the Premier League, and has lifted trophies in various competitions. How can I love myself less than a year ago?"
"Chelsea has advanced to the final of this season's (League Cup), but the league's ranking is not good at the moment," he said, speculating on why he is not loved.
Chelsea won the Champions League title during the 2020-2021 season. It was the second "big year" in the team's history and its first victory in nine years since the 2011-2012 season. Thomas Tuchel, the coach of the team at the time, was treated as a great commander and was cheered on by many fans.
However, Tuchel was somewhat disappointed by finishing third in the next season, the 2021-2022 season, and was dismissed for some reason at the beginning of the following 2022-2023 season. According to the British media outlet "Daily Mail", Tuchel reportedly had a serious disagreement with Chelsea's new owner Todd Boli and was dismissed because his performance did not meet the standards.
Since then, Chelsea have suffered a series of crashes. Graham Potter was appointed immediately, but he was dismissed after less than half a season when his winning rate fell short of 40 percent for 20 games. Frank Lampard, a legendary coach of the team who served as Chelsea's manager from 2019 to 2021, was appointed as the team's acting coach, but it was not enough to save Chelsea, whose ranking has fallen vertically.
In the end, Chelsea will finish 12th in the 2022-2023 season, the lowest ranking since the start of the 21st century.
Pochettino emerged at the time. He had shown good managerial skills while taking charge of Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in the past, and accepted the position after a one-year hiatus. Chelsea also has high expectations for Pochettino and spent a whopping 467.89 million euros in the transfer window last summer to strengthen its player base.
However, Pochettino is also going through a hard time at Chelsea. Chelsea, ranked 11th in this season's league, has been disappointed by its consistent results, which are not that different from last season. The Daily Mail finally gave Chelsea an "F" grade, looking back on last year.
Although he has consistently defeated his opponent in the League Cup and advanced to the final, there are many pessimistic opinions about Pochettino's win in the League Cup because his opponent is Liverpool, the No. 1 player in the league and a strong candidate for the championship.
Pochettino is constantly hoping for faith and support. In December, Pochettino emphasized "belief" in response to the ups and downs he is experiencing, saying "it is important to continue to believe."
"It's important to believe, not to change," he said in a press conference. "If the situation is different, we are on a path where we have no choice but to get good results." Chelsea currently has a lot of injuries. Captain Reece James has been hospitalized for less than 400 minutes this season, and Christopher Nkunku, who was recruited last summer, was injured in a pre-season game and returned at the end of December, about half of the season, but was injured again and made his second comeback earlier this month.
However, Chelsea has yet to make a decision on Pochettino's future. Former sports broadcaster Ben Jacobs posted on his social media earlier this month that Chelsea's poor performance puts pressure on him, adding that Pochettino does not need to be dismissed immediately. The club is still maintaining a calm atmosphere.
Chelsea fans are also said to have not completely turned against Pochettino. Pochettino said, "I think I'm being respected by fans. I can feel the respect for myself," adding, "When I meet my fans on the street, they are all good to me."
Chelsea beat Crystal Palace 3-1 with Conor Gallagher's first goal, the winning goal and Enso Fernandez's decisive goal, perhaps because of Pochettino's wishes.