‘Love that energy’: Pat Nevin now enjoying what he’s seeing from 25-year-old Chelsea player

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Chelsea legend Pat Nevin is enjoying watching Marc Cucurella right now following his turnaround under Mauricio Pochettino.

Marc Cucurella has really struggled at Chelsea since arriving from Brighton & Hove Albion last summer but has picked up in the last few weeks, and Nevin recently praised both the player and his manager when speaking to BBC Sport.

The 25-year-old did not feature in any of the Blues’ first six Premier League games this season. However, Mauricio Pochettino has been using him lately and he has not disappointed.

“He played really well against a very good player like [Bukayo] Saka,” the Argentine told Chelsea’s official club website after Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal.

Pat Nevin praises Marc Cucurella and Mauricio Pochettino

Discussing Cucurella’s improvement under Pochettino, Nevin said to BBC Sport: “Mauricio Pochettino is even getting the best from those who had been underperforming. Marc Cucurella is the football equivalent of a springer spaniel but don’t you just love that energy?

“He even has the long hair that doubles for those long floppy spaniel ears. He was Chelsea’s next best player, after the peerless [Thiago] Silva.”

Mauricio Pochettino now making use of Marc Cucurella at Chelsea

As mentioned earlier, Cucurella was not getting any minutes in the Premier League. However, that changed after Reece James picked up an injury and Malo Gusto received a three-match ban.

Pochettino has mostly been using him at right-back to plug the hole James and Gusto had left and it has worked.

The Spaniard returned to his normal left-back role for the Arsenal game and is likely to compete for that position now.

Ben Chilwell is injured, while James and Gusto are both available again, so there is no need for Cucurella to continue playing at right-back.

However, in the few games he has played there, the former Brighton man has shown that he can be an option for Pochettino going forward.

Hopefully it does not come to that. It would mean that James and Gusto have picked up more injuries and suspensions, which Pochettino obviously does not want.

Cucurella will not complain, though, if it means more game time for him. And he has done well of late, though Chelsea legend Frank Leboeuf still thinks he can do much better.