Pochettino under pressure as Chelsea flounder
Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino is widely being touted as the second-most likely next Premier League manager to lose his job.
Pochettino is under pressure after a 4-2 defeat at home to Wolves continued a troubled first season at Stamford Bridge for the former Tottenham manager, who is facing growing criticism from fans.
The useful bet365 is among many betting sites and it is clear that the odds generally on offer show that many bookmakers believe Pochettino is in serious danger of being axed. Only Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson, whose team have been enduring a wretched run, is seen as more likely to be the next top-flight manager to exit.
What’s gone wrong for Chelsea?
While there have been signs of things coming together for the Blues under Pochettino, they have simply not been able to maintain any level of consistency. A few weeks ago they appeared to be heading in the right direction, but the woeful loss to Wolves saw them drop to 11th in the table. Pochettino was brought in during the summer to improve on Chelsea’s poor showing last season, but this is shaping up to be another disappointing league campaign.
There have been positives, such as Cole Palmer’s sparkling performances, but too many of Chelsea’s big-money signings have simply failed to deliver. There was a major overhaul in midfield in particular, with stalwarts like N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic and Mason Mount leaving and their expensive replacements not making the required impact.
Can Pochettino turn things around?
As awful as Chelsea have been at times, the season could still end with a trophy, with a Carabao Cup final against Liverpool at Wembley coming later this month. A win in that game would not only defy the odds and give Pochettino his first silverware in English football, it would surely also boost the confidence of a side that has suffered blows to their morale over the past few months. Other clubs have found that winning the League Cup has proven to be a catalyst for future success – and Chelsea will hope it turns out that way for them too. Pochettino knows the club’s owners expect him to produce a team which challenges for major trophies again.
Who else is under pressure?
After Hodgson and Pochettino, most bookmakers seem to regard Burnley’s Vincent Kompany and Newcastle’s Eddie Howe as the next most likely Premier League bosses to leave their post. Kompany’s side were brilliant in the Championship last season but since their promotion have struggled at a higher level, while expectations at Newcastle are high and they haven’t seemed to have improved on last season’s excellent showing.
Interestingly, bookmakers currently seem to see Erik Ten Hag’s job at Manchester United as relatively safe, despite some speculation over the Dutchman’s future amid poor results and performances. Odds on Ten Hag being the next manager to go are typically around 18-1, in some cases as wide as 25-1, which is somewhat surprising given how bad United have been.
