“We would struggle a lot” – Pochettino throws shade over Chelsea playing in Europe | OneFootball

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has been speaking to the media ahead of tomorrow night’s Premier League game against Everton.

As always, there have been some quotes from the press conference that were embargoed and have been released in sections, with the latest quotes coming out last night.

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The Daily Mail had them, and once again the comments have been causing a frustrated reaction amongst the Chelsea fan base in general.

Pochettino said the team’s injury problems will need to be addressed if they are to take on more games next season.

“Imagine if we had played in Europe this season, with all the circumstances (injuries)? Oh my goodness,” said the 52-year-old.

“With a squad that is always between eight and 10 players missing in every single game. If you add more games, we would struggle a lot.

“Now it’s about experience, to have all the information to try to help the club to take the best decisions to avoid things like happened this season.

“That is out principal focus, to try to define a squad that can be fit, or have more than 80 per cent availability.”

Teams in previous seasons have benefited from having a season without European competition, taking time to regroup before following up with much improved campaigns the following year. Examples like Brendan Rodgers at Liverpool and Antonio Conte at Chelsea were given to Pochettino.

“Now, it’s completely different,” he said. “You cannot compare to Conte or Brendan Rodgers, it’s not fair. We are in a different Chelsea today.

“The conversation is always to win the next game, then the next and then the next, and see in which position we arrive.

“To have targets is always good. But to have a target it is to have all the elements on (your) side. With all the circumstances we are living (with injuries), it’s about trying to be competitive in the next game, not to put objectives that maybe you will get very frustrated if you don’t win some games that you are supposed to win.”

I mean, he’s almost saying that due to all the injuries his squad had had this season, he is glad that we are not playing European football and is even throwing shade over playing it next season.

I can’t quite believe he is having this mentality towards playing Europe which for me is an absolute MUST every season for Chelsea, even if it’s not Champions League. No Chelsea manager should ever be playing it down, regardless of injuries.