Following their recent defeat to Aston Villa, Mauricio Pochettino and his coaching staff have been diligently working to boost the confidence of their squad amid a challenging start to the season.
Despite the team’s less-than-ideal results, Pochettino, the 51-year-old head coach, has been heartened by the unwavering belief his players have in the work they are putting in.
While Chelsea’s squad has seen considerable changes, their persistent goal-scoring issues have haunted them across multiple seasons.
Pochettino understands that confidence is not something you can simply purchase; it takes time to develop.
Nevertheless, he has already initiated some minor adjustments in a bid to improve the situation. One such adjustment involved working closely with Mykhailo Mudryk to unlock his peak performance.
Pochettino explained, “The problem with confidence is we cannot buy it in the supermarket. It is about time and gradually creating situations that foster trust, confidence, and belief.
For example, today, while playing with Mudryk, I aimed to hit the crossbar from outside the box. He told me he wouldn’t play with me anymore because I always win. I replied, ‘Yes, because I have belief.'”
Pochettino recognizes the crucial balance between belief and skill and believes that this psychological aspect can make a significant difference, providing players with the confidence to perform well on the field.
Managing a young and relatively inexperienced squad poses a unique challenge for Pochettino, with several players still adapting to their roles in the Premier League.
Nicolas Jackson, for instance, received his fifth yellow card of the season in a recent match despite discussions with Pochettino prior to the game.
Pochettino expressed empathy for Jackson’s situation and hinted at a private form of discipline.
Nonetheless, Pochettino maintains confidence in Chelsea’s long-term plan for his tenure.
Despite the influx of young talent into his squad, he believes that balance will be achieved once he has a full complement of his preferred players available.
He stressed the importance of patience and the need to recover injured players to showcase the squad’s potential.
Pochettino concluded, “I believe in the project—it’s only a matter of time. We need time to change perceptions, and we will change them.
We need time to build positivity and achieve results to bolster our confidence.”
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