In a candid reflection on a dramatic 2-2 draw with Sheffield United, Chelsea Manager Mauricio Pochettino criticized his team’s maturity and ability to handle the physical demands of frequent matches.
The game, which took place at Bramall Lane, saw Chelsea concede a last-minute goal to Sheffield’s Oli McBurnie, snatching a draw from the jaws of victory.
Pochettino highlighted the physical toll on his players, particularly singling out Cole Palmer for being visibly fatigued during the match.
The draw came as a significant disappointment for Chelsea, especially after a morale-boosting victory over Manchester United earlier in the week.
Despite leading twice in the game, first through a goal from Thiago Silva and then via a spectacular strike from Noni Madueke in the second half, Chelsea failed to secure three points.
Madueke’s goal had appeared to set Chelsea on course for a win, following Jayden Bogle’s equalizer for Sheffield United.
The late equalizer from McBurnie not only cost Chelsea two crucial points but also raised questions about the team’s resilience and stamina, issues Pochettino seems keen to address.
The manager’s revelation that Palmer’s early substitution was due to tiredness and not injury underscores the challenges Chelsea faces in maintaining peak performance amidst a demanding schedule.
Pochettino was asked if Palmer was injured in his post match interview:
Pochettino said: “No, no.
“I think he was tired. My feeling was he was tired. 2-1 for us, Carney (Chukwuemeka) is another No10 who can play there and do the job.”
On why his team keeps dropping points with teams battling relegation:
“The draw today is fair result, it’s correct.
“We are talking a lot. It is a new team and we are learning. The process always takes time. It’s not a magic thing. It’s a project, a three- or five-year process to build a team.
“At 52-years-old, you identify really quick whether the team is ready to compete or not. Maybe this group is not mature enough to compete in games every three days.
“Of course the players were tired, but that is not an excuse today to not win the game in the end. They can be tired, of course, that is why we have an unbelievable training centre to provide everything.
“For different reasons, we struggle to compete in these types of games. We score, we are better, we are under control, but in a situation like this we concede from nowhere. It’s about being more competitive.
“We are trying to find solutions but in the end because of the situation, it’s not easy to be solid. We are trying to find solutions on how to be more solid.
“The first part of the season we were a little bit more solid but were not creating as much. Now we are scoring much but conceding more. It’s difficult to find the balance.
“I want to say the draw is a fair result. Even if we control and have possession, we didn’t create enough. We didn’t show the capacity to be solid and be strong. That is the painful situation.”
