Pochettino to Chelsea: An appointment that makes sense for both parties

The Blues had their worst season in Premier League history, suffering with a bloated squad and an owner who hasn’t quite worked out how to run a football club yet. But contrary to popular belief, Chelsea aren't as far away as many believe, and Pochettino may fit the bill of exactly what they need.

Chelsea finished 12th in the league - far closer to the relegation zone than the Champions League places. It is the club's lowest points tally (44) since 1988, and their lowest finish since 1994. Todd Boehly’s first season as owner has been an unmitigated disaster.

The American has received stinging criticism from media and fans alike for his decisions since taking over from Roman Abramovich. From signing players for Thomas Tuchel only to sack him days later, to spending £600 million over two transfer windows and making the squad far too big, it’s fair to say he hasn’t got a lot right so far.

He appointed Graham Potter, which proved to be an unsuccessful gamble, while Frank Lampard's stint as interim manager did little to build any momentum or raise confidence levels going into the next season. There should be no doubt over the former's skillset in the coaching department, but he lacked the experience or authority to manage a club of the stature of Chelsea. In truth, he was the antithesis of what one would expect a Chelsea manager to look like.

But he wasn't dealt the best hand either. Not many managers would have thrived in that environment.

So that brings us to the present day. Pochettino has been chosen to take up the mantle, and if you stop to think about it, it makes a lot of sense for both parties.

There are question marks over whether or not the former Tottenham and Paris Saint Germain coach is a 'winner', and capable of matching Chelsea's aspirations and taking them to the lofty heights of where they want to be. Any doubts are valid, but at times boring and vapid, with social media tribalism and stereotypes taking centre stage.

Using his time in North London and Paris as a stick to beat him with is totally unjust. He may not have won any silverware at Spurs, but there is more than one way to measure success.

Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte - two proven 'winners' - failed to win a trophy or achieve anything near to what Pochettino did at Spurs. He helped Tottenham finish in the top four on a consistent basis, including a second-place finish on 86 points in 2017, just behind a relentless Chelsea.

In the 2015/16 season, only Manchester City (71) scored more goals than Spurs (69), and no one conceded less (35). The following season, Poch's men remarkably led in both those departments, scoring 86 goals and conceding 26.

People will say Pochettino had a better team than Mourinho and Conte. Sure, this may be true, but he was the one who improved the players he had and made them reach a level that wasn’t a true reflection of how good they actually were.

Eric Dier flourished as a holding midfielder and then as a centre-back under Pochettino. But ask anyone now, and all told, they won’t have many positive things to say about the England international.

Dele Alli’s career has fallen apart since Pochettino left, while Christian Eriksen was a shadow of the player he was when he moved to Inter Milan.

He developed and got the best out of players who weren’t quite as good as people thought, and when he failed to get them over the line in Premier League title races, he was criticised. Reaching the Champions League final with a midfield pivot of Moussa Sissoko and Harry Winks was an ineffably miraculous accomplishment, especially keeping in mind their league performances that season.

And don't forget what the team he took over actually looked like.

His very first Spurs team was: Friedel; Naughton, Dawson, Fryers, Rose; Capoue, Holtby; Lennon, Carroll, Townsend; Kane.

There are no two ways about it, that is a mid-table team. So years later, to have Spurs competing for the Premier League and Champions League should be looked at as an extraordinary achievement, and he deserves huge praise for that.

But how can a team who led the offensive and defensive departments in 2017 not actually win the title?

Moments. One-off games. Being able to find a way through teams who were happy to camp in front of their own goal for 90 minutes.

Pochettino knew this. He wanted to sign Jack Grealish and Sadio Mane while he was at Tottenham. What separated them from the Chelsea team in 2017 was a marquee creative player - like Eden Hazard.

He had the desire to take them to the next level and help them clinch their first trophy since 2008. But Daniel Levy wouldn’t back him financially. In the summer of 2018, they became the first club in 15 years to not sign a single player.

In 2019, he famously stated that Tottenham needed a 'painful rebuild', hinting that some big signings were needed to keep them at the competitive level they were at. He knew he had to be blunt publicly to force the club into action.

But that never happened.

And inevitably, Spurs fell away and results dropped off a cliff, with Pochettino growing disillusioned and heading to the exit door. They were perhaps one or two more major acquisitions away from crossing that final hurdle, but the purchases never materialised.

Six years later, they have failed to qualify for Europe in its entirety.

His tenure at PSG was neither a success nor a failure. He won Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France, which is a given really. But he failed to achieve their main goal - winning the Champions League. However, no one has been able to do that at PSG, for a wide variety of reasons which leaves every manager witnessing some sort of implosion on the European stage. His time over there shouldn’t change anyone’s opinion of him.

So although there is an element of the appointment being good but not great, his previous exploits should not be a reason to believe that, and rather simply the fact he hasn’t managed a real ‘elite’ side in England. He doesn’t have the experience of winning a trophy that essentially wasn’t already a foregone conclusion.

But Pochettino has experience in the Premier League. He knows what it’s like to compete at the top of the table. He plays an attractive brand of football, which will make it an enjoyable trip down to Stamford Bridge for Chelsea fans again.

He made Spurs one of the most exciting teams to watch in the league, and his Espanyol and Southampton sides were known for their front-footed football.

He is also relentless in what he requires of his players. If you don't run, you don't play. If you don't acquire with his demands, you won't be a part of his plans. He may look soft on the outside with a glint in his eye, but he won't let anyone get away with not pulling their weight. You have to buy into the ideas that he will inculcate.

And players do tend to do that. He is a likeable, emotional character who wears his heart on his sleeve. He deals with the media in tough moments with great equanimity. There is a lot to admire about Pochettino on a human level.

But he is also a brilliant coach who is capable of getting the best out of everyone at his disposal - especially young players. And currently at Chelsea, they have a lot of unpolished gems full of talent that need refining.

Pochettino will enjoy working with the likes of Mykhailo Mudryk and Noni Madueke, who are still incredibly raw. According to reports, he also wants Mason Mount to stay, with his contract running out this summer.

The once highly-rated midfielder has struggled to find his best form this season, with many Blues fans losing patience with him. But Pochettino will no doubt be the perfect man to inject some life into Mount.

So when you get down to the bare bones of it, Boehly’s decision to appoint Pochettino actually makes sense. And you know what, it makes a lot of sense for Pochettino too.

Chelsea's shocking season has left fans with extremely low expectations. The mood around Stamford Bridge is far from positive. There won't be a lot of immediate pressure on him to suddenly make them competitive, and he will be afforded just a little bit of extra time. He will have some freedom to mould the Chelsea team how he sees fit.

This could work in his favour, because in reality, Chelsea aren’t miles away from being a good side again.

Their issues lie in the goalscoring department, but on paper, their midfield and defence have a lot of quality.

Thiago Silva, Wesley Fofana, Benoit Badiashile, Enzo Fernandez and N’Golo Kante are a strong core, and with Joao Felix (if Chelsea decide to keep him) and Raheem Sterling, as well as Christopher Nkunku when he joins in the summer, they have some quality in the areas behind the centre forward.

Defensively, for the large majority of the season, they didn't have real problems. Up until a week or two ago, only Newcastle and Manchester City had conceded fewer goals than them. Admittedly, their defence has looked extremely shakey over the last few games, but that is likely to be more of a confidence issue.

Their lack of cutting-edge and ability to put the ball into the back of the net has been a recurring theme. If Chelsea can find a clinical No.9 this summer, a portion of their woes will be solved.

Additionally, if they can add a top goalkeeper and potentially another midfielder to replace Mateo Kovacic - who looks to be departing - then they should be able to climb pretty quickly up the league and compete for the European places next season.

The team is far better than it currently looks. They need a clear direction and a confidence boost, as well as a manager who can maximise everyone's potential.

Their bloated squad needs to be trimmed, and once Pochettino does that, he can focus on drilling his team and begin to instil some cohesion into a side that looks totally lost out on the pitch.

And that's why it is an appealing opportunity for Pochettino. It cannot get any worse, and he has the chance to make an instant impact.

It may not be the ‘sexy’ option of someone like Luis Enrique, but Pochettino is a good and logical appointment for Chelsea. He may be able to take them back to the very top. He may only be able to get them to the precipice of success. Only time will tell.

But right now, it is a match that makes sense for both Chelsea and Mauricio Pochettino.