Mauricio Pochettino is aiming for victory again.
Chelsea will face Aston Villa in the sixth round of the 2023-24 Premier League (PL) season at Stamford Bridge in London, England, on April 24 at 10 p.m. ET. Since the start of the season, the Blues have collected just five points (W1 D1 L2 D5) in five league games and sit in 14th place.
Chelsea slumped to 12th in the league last season. A desperate owner, Todd Boeli, set out to turn things around. The appointment of Pochettino was accompanied by a squad shake-up. Out went Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Kai Havertz, Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, N’Golo Kante, and Christian Pulisic. In their place came some big names. Christopher Nkunku, Diego Moreira, Nicola Jackson, Angelou Gabriel, Leslie Ugochukwu, Axel Disassi, Robert Sanchez, Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, and Romeo Rabia are just a few of the new additions.
It’s been a year of disappointment for many. Injuries, big and small, have plagued the team across all positions. According to Talk Sport in the UK, Chelsea could have a pretty good lineup with just the players who have been sidelined by injury. N’Kunku, Armando Broya, Noni Madueke, Kani Chukwuemeka, Rabia, Caicedo, Trevor Chalobah, Benoit Badiacil, Wesley Fofana, Reece James, and even Marcus Bettinelli.
Despite the recent spate of injuries, Pochettino has surrounded himself with medical staff. According to the BBC, “Chelsea are without 12 first-team players after the draw against Bournemouth. Some players could return for the upcoming game against Villa, but key players are still out. Pochettino has defended the situation, saying it is ‘not a medical staff issue’.”바카라사이트
“Our club medical team are very good professionals,” Pochettino said. Some players have their own risk factors. It’s unfortunate (the string injury). It’s something that can happen once in a season or two. There were other things that happened that we couldn’t control,” he said.
“But the situation gave us time. We had a really good week. It was good to give the players a break during the A-match break. Of course, it’s a difficult time. But we have to take advantage of the situation.” Their next opponent is a tricky dark horse, Villa. Pochettino and Chelsea will be aiming for victory once again.
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