Mauricio Pochettino mentioned he doubts whether or not Chelsea might have dealt with a European marketing campaign this season as he has grappled with an harm disaster.
The Argentinian could possibly be with out 11 gamers for Monday’s recreation towards Everton, with Enzo Fernandez and Raheem Sterling the most recent doubts for the assembly at Stamford Bridge.
It has been the membership’s first marketing campaign with out European competitors since 2016/17, and solely their second since 1996/97, following a Twelfth-place end within the Premier League final season.
An harm replace forward of our Premier League fixture towards Everton on Monday has been issued.
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 12, 2024
An unbeaten run of seven video games, their longest within the league for nearly 18 months, has put them in rivalry to achieve both the Europa League or Convention League, while they might additionally qualify by successful the FA Cup.
However Pochettino mentioned the crew’s harm issues will must be addressed if they’re to tackle extra video games subsequent season.
“Think about if we had performed in Europe this season, with all of the circumstances (accidents)? Oh my goodness,” mentioned the 52-year-old.
“With a squad that’s all the time between eight and 10 gamers lacking in each single recreation. Should you add extra video games, we might wrestle quite a bit.
Cole Palmer placing up some performances. pic.twitter.com/OCpZeU071b
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 12, 2024
“Now it’s about expertise, to have all the data to attempt to assist the membership to take the very best selections to keep away from issues like occurred this season.
“That’s out principal focus, to attempt to outline a squad that may be match, or have greater than 80 per cent availability.”
Groups in earlier seasons have benefited from having a season with out European competitors, taking time to regroup earlier than following up with a lot improved campaigns the next yr.
Liverpool beneath Brendan Rodgers in 2013/14 got here inside two factors of successful the title while not having to cope with a European schedule, while Chelsea have been topped champions beneath Antonio Conte in 2016/17 a yr after ending tenth.
Mikel Arteta led Arsenal to a fifth-place end in 2021/22, the membership’s first with out Europe in 26 years, throughout which the crew confirmed vital progress that has led to them difficult for the title in consecutive seasons.
Pochettino countered that the scenario at Chelsea, whose homeowners have spent over £1billion on assembling a younger and largely inexperienced squad, can’t be in comparison with earlier examples.
“Now, it’s utterly totally different,” he mentioned. “You can’t evaluate to Conte or Brendan Rodgers, it’s not truthful. We’re in a special Chelsea right now.
“The dialog is all the time to win the following recreation, then the following after which the following, and see through which place we arrive.
“To have targets is all the time good. However to have a goal it’s to have all the weather on (your) aspect. With all of the circumstances we live (with accidents), it’s about making an attempt to be aggressive within the subsequent recreation, to not put goals that perhaps you’ll get very pissed off should you don’t win some video games that you’re presupposed to win.”
