‘Risky statement’… TalkSPORT pundit can’t believe what Mauricio Pochettino has claimed after Chelsea defeat

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Dean Saunders thinks Mauricio Pochettino is playing a dangerous game after Chelsea’s 4-1 loss to Newcastle United yesterday.

Dean Saunders was speaking on talkSPORT this morning (26/11/2023 at 06:45) after some interesting comments from Mauricio Pochettino.

Following the humiliating defeat at St James’ Park, the Argentine slammed his Chelsea side for not putting in enough energy during the encounter.

“That is a mistake, I am not talking about mistakes,” Pochettino was initially quoted as saying by football.london when discussing Thiago Silva’s error for Newcastle’s third goal.

He then went on to say: “I am talking more about energy, we were not in the right… we were not prepared in the best way to compete today.” Pochettino was also not happy with his captain Reece James after he picked up two yellow cards and was sent off.

Mauricio Pochettino makes risky statement

Saunders thinks Pochettino has taken a risk by questioning the amount of effort his players put in.

Discussing the 51-year-old’s recent comments on talkSPORT, the former Aston Villa striker said: “What do you do this morning now, Pochettino? He’s actually come out and said they’ve not worked hard enough. That is a risky statement to make when you’re not winning.”

Will Mauricio Pochettino lose the Chelsea dressing room?

We do not see that happening. Pochettino is not that sort of manager. Everywhere he has gone, the Chelsea boss has usually got on well with his players and built good relationships with them.

His man management is top-notch and, in truth, these Chelsea players need to hear it how it is.

If Pochettino was not happy with the amount of energy they put in yesterday, then he is right to tell them.

The former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain boss is not perfect, but we are not exactly seeing bad management from him this season. Chelsea have just not been good enough in both boxes at times, with individual mistakes killing them in the Newcastle defeat.

Had Marc Cucurella not have tried to play offside for the first goal and actually done some defending and Thiago Silva not made his error in the second half, who knows what the score would have been? Things could have easily turned out differently.