After seeing his side suffer an embarrassing 4-2 defeat at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers, Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly considering a tactical switch to a back three. The Blues are back in familiar territory as they have fallen to 11th in the Premier League table, one place above their final position last season.
Chelsea are struggling in the league this season and have suffered consecutive heavy defeats, a 4-1 loss against Liverpool followed by the recent result against Wolves.
Mauricio Pochettino looked dazed as Matheus Cunha scored a hat-trick past a helpless Djordje Petrovic between the sticks for his side. His defenders did not help matters, with two cruel deflections and a cheaply conceded penalty handing Wolves a huge advantage.
According to the Evening Standard, the result has led Pochettino to consider a tactical tweak to a back three to stem the tide of embarrassing goals against his team. They have let in 39 goals in the Premier League this season, one more than the 38 they have managed to score.
In their most recent successful seasons, Chelsea have turned to a three-at-the-back formation to provide strength and steel in defence. Antonio Conte did this to turn their season around and led them to league glory in 2017, and Thomas Tuchel did it as they won the UEFA Champions League in 2021.
Pochettino’s side have now lost 10 of their 23 league games this season, winning nine and drawing four. They have, however, reached the final of the Carabao Cup, and are set to face Aston Villa for a place in the fifth round of the FA Cup on Wednesday, February 7.
Mauricio Pochettino relatively safe at Chelsea due to club’s fears about breaching spending rules: Reports
During the match between Wolves and Chelsea, there were chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning” from the away fans directed at Mauricio Pochettino. Not for the first time this season, the manager saw his players booed off the pitch at the half-time interval and at the end of the game.
However, Chelsea are reportedly prepared to stick with the former Tottenham manager until the end of the season. According to the Daily Mail, the Blues are aware of their precarious position with respect to the Premier League’s spending rules, and paying off the manager could land them in trouble.
Mauricio Pochettino signed a two-year deal with the club in the summer, with an agreement to review the performance of the team by the midway stage of the contract. According to the report, sacking Pochettino and his backroom staff would cost the club more than £10million.
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