Chelsea enter their next era under a new manager as they look to rediscover their form after a disastrous 2022/23 campaign, writes Dylan Appolis.
The consensus is that it cannot get much worse for Chelsea after a horrendous 2022/23 season, with all eyes now on whether new manager Mauricio Pochettino can develop a new era of success at Stamford Bridge.
The west London club were but a shadow of their former selves and despite spending £600 million on new players, they could only manage a 12th-place finish, winning 11 of their 38 Premier League games.
Chelsea were expected to improve after Todd Boehly took over the club last year, having splashed the cash to sign Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly, Wesley Fofana and Marc Cucurella.
They further bolstered their squad with the likes of Enzo Fernández, Mykhailo Mudryk, Benoît Badiashile and Noni Madueke, who joined the club during the January transfer window.
But Chelsea ended the season without a trophy and will not play in Europe next season after finishing in the bottom half of the table for the first time in 27 years.
Former manager Frank Lampard says it will be tough for the Blues to find their rhythm again after falling into a bad slump, and the top four places in the league, which offer Champions League football, are hugely competitive.
“The Premier League moves on very fast; everyone is moving on and trying to do the same thing and you see the emergence of Newcastle, Brighton and Aston Villa and these teams that are getting themselves in that equation now,” Lampard said.
“It doesn’t always become an overnight remedy. It’s not going to be my responsibility, but from my experience of being in a consistently performing club for many years, the moments you do switch off become very hard to switch it on. That will be the test next year.”
There is a glimmer of hope for the Blues heading into the new campaign as they wasted no time in appointing former Southampton and Tottenham Hotspur manager Pochettino on a two- year deal, with the option of a third.
Pochettino had been out of a job since being sacked by Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the 2021/22 campaign after 18 months in charge, having led them to the Ligue 1 title in 2022 and the French Cup the previous year.
The Argentine will be excited to return to the Premier League after four years, but there is a lot of pressure that comes with his appointment, not only for him, but also for the club.
Pochettino already has a proven track record in the Premier League and his appointment makes sense, because he has the ability to break down the players and then build them back up again, which suits a club where the average age in the first team is 26.
There is an abundance of talented players within the Chelsea ranks and Pochettino’s pedigree, philosophy and brand of football could help the club return to former glory and unlock the true potential of the squad.
He will demand a lot from his players as he sets up his team to build out from the back, play with a high press and have the awareness and vision to quickly transition by turning defence into attack.
The good news is that the squad is very well set up for that, and has the ability to add all those elements to their game without having to go further into the transfer market.
That is why Pochettino’s arrival is seen as such a good fit – the squad is tailor made for him. Chelsea have been in for the Argentine coach three or four times before, but the moment never seemed right. Now it does for a manager whose hero is compatriot Marcelo Bielsa.
Chelsea’s sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, who led the pursuit of Pochettino, explained: “Mauricio’s experience, standards of excellence, leadership qualities and character will serve Chelsea Football Club well as we move forward.
“He is a winning coach who has worked at the highest levels in multiple leagues and languages. His ethos, tactical approach and commitment to development all made him the exceptional candidate.”
One thing is for sure: He has a mountain to climb and will have to perform a miracle to transform and shake off the bad vibes of the club from the 2022/23 season.
Photo by EPA/VINCE MIGNOTT
