Chelsea boss asks critics to give ‘credit’ to his team after reaching EFL Cup final

Mauricio Pochettino believes Chelsea players deserve recognition for their performance after reaching Carabao Cup final

Mauricio Pochettino believes Chelsea players deserve credit for their impressive performance in the 6-1 win over Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup semi-final, securing the Blues’ place in the final of the competition.

Upon his arrival at Chelsea, there were initial trust issues surrounding Pochettino’s appointment, given his limited trophy success at Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton, and Espanyol. Taking charge of Chelsea marked a significant challenge, especially after a challenging campaign the previous year.

Despite initial skepticism, the 51-year-old manager has swiftly transformed the young squad, exceeding expectations. Pochettino’s sole trophy achievement came from leading Paris Saint-Germain, where some argue that top players like Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Neymar played a significant role in the team’s success.

Those doubts were buried by the manager himself when the final whistle was blown and Chelsea claimed their place in the final of the Carabao Cup. Taking over a disjointed squad is not a cup of tea and there is still much work to be done. Securing a trophy in his first season will certainly boost Pochettino’s handle on the team.

The entire roster is composed of young players, but Pochettino has turned this team into a competitive team this quickly, and he deserves so much respect for that. However, he also asked the critics to give credit to the team, (h/t Football.London), and said:

“It’s amazing. On one side, it’s an amazing achievement, an objective when we started. No, Europe, to build a team from zero, and it was the objective to be at Wembley at the end of February.”

“The job is done, but now it’s about to win the final. We need to start to realise this and give credit to the team. It’s important for the club, for us, and for this process.”

Pochettino’s every word is true, and how quickly we have built this squad in a short time is incredible because expectations weren’t high from us. Chelsea were criticised for our performance and ineptness in front of the goal and our transfer policy, which only revolved around signing young players.

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We are still far from developed, though, but this win will bring great optimism to the squad, and players should feel proud of themselves because we have come so far with this disorganised squad. The best might be yet to come.