Pochettino is everything that I thought he wouldn't be. For an alleged developer of young talent, he doesn't seem to have the cojones to play any of them. For someone that was billed up to be a tactician, our patterns of play are non-existent. Culture setter? Nope.
Long rant aside, the deal that must be done. That's imperative to this 'project' having a chance, is activating Roberto De Zerbi's RC in the summer.
(we've already pillaged Brighton enough, i don't feel a drop of shame!)
For very simplistic reasons; Because he already has his fingerprints all over this youthful Chelsea experiment.
a) Levi Colwill (20 y/o CB)
b) Moises Caicedo (22 y/o MF)
c) Mykhailo Mudryk (22 y/o F)
Getting the development of these players correct is essential, and he's already shown that he can emerge the massive potential of all three players.
De Zerbi at different points of his managerial career propelled:
- Mudryk into an asset that Arsenal were willing to pony up €95m for
- Colwill into a CB prospect with an endless ceiling. Capped for the English senior team already, and an asset that LFC fans were raiding his mothers twitter account asking him not to extend at Chelsea.
- Caicedo into one of the most coveted young ball winners seen in years. He also had him dictating tempo in possession. Another jewel asset that LFC bid £110m for.
Short and sweet, he has a couple of elements to him that make me believe that he's be closer to an Ange/Emery type of figurehead than a Pochettino/Lampard type of appointment.
He has his own definitive doctrine and ideology. He'll do anything to keep hold of the ball. He teaches ball retention, pausa, can create artificial transitions. He's a JDP style of coach that has succeeded in climbing the ranks while being fearless playing his own style of football. He also has the persona of a diplomat.
He's not afraid to drop senior players for more green talents that can adapt to his tactical demands. On the flip side uplifting talents like Dunk, March, Gross and Steele.
Pochettino is a coward, and the CFC community has been led astray. He's built a foundation around running and playing not to lose rather than to win. He starts a 50 year old centerback every week, we sit in a low defensive line. He has Conor Gallagher in the center of the formation, someone that's so bad with the football at his feet that it negates everything that he does in theory to win it.
It's really shameful to be in this position during this part of the season, already. However i'm sensing heavy fundamental coaching flaws and with that anvil of that magnitude handicapped around your leg, you're running an unwinnable race. Seeing how Spurs and Villa are doing is the clearest indicator that bad coaching can make good players look poor.
an example: Aston Villa under Emery are second in the entire division in total wins behind only Pep Guardiola. A lot of people attribute it to a lot of factors, some say it's the braintrust and the scouting network, and I give Villa's entire team a boatload of credit, however besides Pau (who I love), Kamara and Diaby. Most of this core was playing regularly when Villa finished 14th just a few seasons ago. McGinn, Watkins, Cash, Emi Martinez, Konsa, Luiz, Digne etc. A great coach can provide the facelift that a bad coach seeks for in the transfer window.
