Pochettino at Chelsea: What can FPL managers expect?

Mauricio Pochettino was announced as Chelsea’s new head coach last month and will start his role on 1 July.

The former Tottenham Hotspur boss, who has been out of work since leaving Paris Saint-Germain last year, has signed a two-year contract with the option of a third.

His staff will include Jesus Perez, Miguel d’Agostino, Toni Jimenez and Sebastiano Pochettino.

The Blues’ co-s­porting directors, Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, said:

“Mauricio’s experience, standards of excellence, leadership qualities and character will serve Chelsea Football Club well as we move forward. He is a winning coach, who has worked at the highest levels, in multiple leagues and languages. His ethos, tactical approach and commitment to development all made him the exceptional candidate.” – Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, Chelsea’s co-sporting directors

Chelsea endured a hugely difficult 2022/23 season, finishing 12th in the table, but can Pochettino turn their fortunes around and put the likes of Reece James back on our Fantasy Premier League (FPL) Watchlists?

We’ll attempt to find out in this Scout Report.

THE HISTORY

Pochettino rose to prominence as a manager at Espanyol and Southampton.

In his first full Premier League season he led Saints to their joint-highest finish of eighth, before a hugely successful spell with Spurs, where he finished in the top four in each of his four full campaigns in charge as well as leading them to a first Champions League final in 2019.

Although silverware eluded him, the job Pochettino did at Spurs made him one of the game’s most highly-rated managers.

POCHETTINO’S PREMIER LEAGUE RECORD

A move to Paris Saint-Germain followed in 2021, but Champions League glory was beyond him.

He did win the Coupe de France before claiming the Ligue 1 title a year later, but arguably struggled to get the best out of – and manage – the personalities in the dressing room.

POCHETTINO’S PSG RECORD (ALL COMPS)

MANAGEMENT STYLE

“I have this spirit – like Che Guevara. I am a fighter.” – Mauricio Pochettino

Pochettino is a deep thinker whose mantra when he first arrived in England was “open your mind”.

Playing for the Argentine means having to work hard, with lots of physically challenging sessions pushing players to their limits. Notably, fitness is an area Frank Lampard said the Chelsea squad lacked after last season’s Gameweek 31 loss to Brighton and Hove Albion.

“A yard short, a tackle short, a fighting duel moment short and when that’s not right you’re not going to win games. You have to have the capacity to do that as well as the desire and at the minute we’re falling short on that and need to turn it around quickly.” – Frank Lampard

Pochettino is a coach renowned for his sides’ high-energy style, with bravery and fighting-spirit non-negotiable aspects of his philosophy, so this will be a priority area for him to address.

Meanwhile, former player Danny Rose, who had his career transformed under Pochettino, discussed playing for the Argentine while at Spurs.

“He’s very thorough, very precise, he’s a disciplinarian. He records training. He was the first manager I came across who records training, records gym sessions. There’re no hiding places.

“There was one game, we played Crystal Palace, and I thought I had a good game. He called me into his office the next day to analyse the game. I thought there were going to be some good clips. He had 26 bad clips of what I did wrong. That’s how he is as a manager.” – Danny Rose

However, most importantly for FPL managers, he is a coach who will try and bring goals and excitement.

“The responsibilities and the obligations which come with management are fine, but we can never, ever, forget to enjoy ourselves, to enjoy football. Anyone who doesn’t have enjoyment in their working life will diminish what they can achieve.” - Mauricio Pochettino

PLAYING STYLE

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