28 September 2023 , 08:19
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Paul Merson is adamant that Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino still doesn't know his best team - just like his Stamford Bridge predecessors.
Pochettino was appointed in the summer following a calamitous 2022/23 campaign which saw the Blues go through three different head coaches. Graham Potter was sacked just six months after replacing Thomas Tuchel, while Frank Lampard was unable to improve Chelsea's fortunes after taking the reins on an interim basis.
The appointment of Pochettino was regarded as a coup for Chelsea after his stint at Paris-Saint Germain. The early weeks of his tenure have proved a struggle, though, with the Argentine winning just three of his eight matches at the helm.
And Merson believes Pochettino's struggles can be attributed to his failure to settle on a regular starting 11. He told Sky Sports: "Nothing’s changed; the three football matches they’ve won in 21, was Bournemouth the week after they stayed up [last season], beat Wimbledon in the cup and beat Luton. No disrespect to Luton, but at home you’re expected to beat them.
"He’s got the same problem as the last two managers at Chelsea – Potter and Lampard – Pochettino is exactly the same, he doesn’t know his best team. If you don’t know your best team I don’t see how you’ve got a chance of winning. Swap here, swap there."
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Merson went on to question the club's summer transfer business. The Blues have spent over £1billion since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital acquired the club last year, but Merson believes Pochettino's side is lacking experience and a prolific No.9.
He added: "I don’t think they’re good enough. For all the players they’ve bought, they haven’t bought a team. I hope he [Pochettino] gets the time, but you just don’t know with the owners. I think come January they’ve got to bring in more experience. I don’t think all of them are good enough.
Join the debate! Do you think Pochettino is the right man for Chelsea? Let us know here.
Mauricio Pochettino has endured a difficult start to his Chelsea tenure (AFP via Getty Images)"If you ain’t got a good centre-forward you don’t win nothing. Chelsea haven’t got a centre-forward. I like the kid, I like Jackson, but he’s a young lad. He should have been taken out of the firing line every day of the week by now, but they haven’t got anybody."
Despite their miserable start to the season, Chelsea did advance to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night courtesy of a 1-0 win over Brighton. Nicolas Jackson - the very same forward maligned by Merson - netted the winner.
Pochettino was quick to stress that the victory has to be a turning point in Chelsea's season. He told Sky Sports: "It's really important for us to get the victory and that we're through to the next round after a few games where we didn't score or win.
"It should be [a turning point]. It must be. It's about time. Today there were many positive things. Today we saw the players fighting to give their best. It's about time."