Pochettino Makes Outrageous Claim: 'Chelsea Not My Team'

Despite an admirable performance against Brighton, resulting in a 2-1 victory with goals from Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku, Mauricio Pochettino expressed a sense of dissatisfaction, acknowledging his struggle to instill his preferred style at Cobham with the current squad. Nevertheless, Chelsea's triumph marked their fourth consecutive win in the Premier League, propelling them to sixth place in the standings.

Players at Chelsea have gradually adapted to Pochettino's methods, evident in their recent successes. However, the Argentine manager refrained from claiming ownership of the team, emphasizing that he is merely utilizing the resources provided by the Chelsea board, who have made significant investments exceeding £1 billion in recent transfer windows. Despite the positive results, the team's playing style remains distant from Pochettino's philosophy.

Addressing reporters after the Brighton match, Pochettino clarified, "That is not my team. That's Chelsea's team. Not my team. What do you mean?"

When pressed about whether the Chelsea team were adopting his style, he replied, "I don’t know. After 15 years working at Espanyol, Southampton, Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain, and now Chelsea, I think you know my style, no? In the way we want to play in possession and when we lose the ball. We have a trajectory in football."

"For me, it is not important about what I have to say. If you are happy and people are happy about the style we are playing. After, it is to adapt to the circumstances of the squad. For sure, with time, if you ask another coach and have the possibility of 10 years or 25 years, or 22 like Arsene Wenger, or Sir Alex Ferguson, then of course it is your team. In that case we can say Pep Guardiola because every six months you have the power to invest or not to invest and bring players you want in. In one season, with all the circumstances, I am so proud of the squad."

Chelsea's recent victory has elevated them to sixth place, positioning them for European football in the upcoming campaign. This marks a significant improvement from the previous season, where they finished 12th with only 44 points from 38 matches. However, Pochettino appears discontent, as his future has been a subject of speculation throughout the season.

When asked about the potential success of finishing sixth, Pochettino responded, "I don’t know. We've been discussing all season, but it seems like my words carry little weight and nobody pays attention. People are only interested in rumors and such. What matters most to me is winning games. It's been challenging given the circumstances."

Chelsea must avoid defeat against Bournemouth on Sunday to secure their sixth-place finish. Moreover, they have the opportunity to surpass Tottenham and claim fifth place if Tottenham lose to Sheffield United and Chelsea defeat Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge.

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