Chelsea lack leaders and lost the League Cup final because of their manager, rather than the players, says one former Arsenal star
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is to blame for the League Cup defeat to Liverpool last weekend, with the Blues lacking real leaders in their team.
That's according to former Arsenal striker Ian Wright, who has claimed that the problems down the road at Stamford Bridge run deep. Chelsea were beaten in extra-time by Liverpool to the League Cup, despite the Reds bringing on several teenagers, as Jurgen Klopp's inexperienced midfield overpowered Pocettino's £200 million pair of Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez.
“The problem is that Chelsea didn’t have any leaders in the team, who would recognise that their team is under the cosh,” Wright said on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet. “Obviously, they have Thiago Silva, but he wasn’t on the pitch.
Thiago Silva was unavailable for the final (Image credit: Getty Images)
“In certain scenarios, a leader would recognise the problems and do something about it, but for Chelsea, there isn’t anyone who could do that for them.”
Wright contrasted the difference between the leaders that the Merseysiders have at their disposal with the lack of options among the Chelsea ranks while noting that Mauricio Pochettino has “not won anything”.
The Argentine had two lost finals to show for managing Tottenham after five years, before he went to Paris Saint-Germain and picking up Ligue 1 and Coupe De France titles.
Ian Wright remains unimpressed with Chelsea (Image credit: Getty Images)
“When you look at Virgil Van Dijk, Andy Robertson, and the experience these young players, who came on for Liverpool have played with, they’ve come on with a different mentality to these Chelsea players who are under pressure to perform in a final, for a manager who’s not won anything.
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“You could see the momentum changing, you can’t negate the Liverpool fans, and what they do, the manager has to take a lot of the blame, the players froze.”
Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.
