Pochettino can save Chelsea’s season by winning Carabao Cup

After nine years of waiting, Mauricio Pochettino has scratched the surface of reaching an England Cup final. But playing in the Carabao Cup final next month won't be enough for the Chelsea head coach: he must win it.

Chelsea's emphatic 6-1 semi-final second leg victory over Middlesbrough at Stamford Bridge confirmed the Blues' first Carabao Cup final since losing to Liverpool in 2022. Jurgen Klopp's side will be their opponents again on February 25 if they face Fulham in Wednesday's second game. stop at Craven Cottage. Liverpool leads 2-1 from the first leg. But while Chelsea have been regulars in Carabao Cup and FA Cup finals in recent years, Pochettino's failure to achieve similar success during his 5-and-a-half years at Tottenham has always counted against him.

Aside from a Carabao Cup final defeat to José Mourinho's Chelsea in 2015, followed by a UEFA Champions League final defeat to Liverpool in Madrid four years later, Pochettino has a miserable competitive record direct elimination, leaving aside his only title in the Coupe de France. with Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.

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At Tottenham, Pochettino rarely gave the impression that he took domestic cups seriously. His response to the accusation that he was not very committed to either cup was that Spurs' priority was Champions League qualification, either by winning or finishing in the top four of the Premier League. Thus, six Carabao Cup attempts with Spurs resulted in just one final, defeat to Chelsea, while the best of five FA Cup campaigns ended in two losing semi-finals.

Pochettino was able to choose his priorities at Tottenham because the club did not have the resources, financial or in terms of squad depth, to fight on four fronts, but that is not the case at Chelsea.

Since being transformed by Roman Abramovich's money following the Russian oligarch's takeover in 2003, Chelsea have been serious contenders in every competition and have won them all more than once in the last 20 years. Abramovich's departure as owner in 2022, following the freezing of his assets by the British government following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, marked a change in ownership, but the rules of engagement have not changed under Chelsea's new American owners.

The club always demands success. But since Abramovich's sale was completed in May 2022, Chelsea have at times seemed a million miles from success. Pochettino is their fourth manager in this time and £910 million has been spent on 25 new players – and even more have left the club.

Chelsea still look unlikely winners of the trophy as Pochettino's young side remains in the development phase, but they are slowly improving and becoming more consistent. The win was their fifth in six games in all competitions and Raheem Sterling, Enzo Fernández and Cole Palmer once again put in great performances as Chelsea cruised to victory.

Sterling created three goals in the first half, Palmer scored twice and Fernandez embellished a dominant performance with a goal of his own. An own goal from Jonny Howson and one each from Axel Disasi and Noni Madueke completed Chelsea's rout before Morgan Rogers scored an 88th-minute consolation for Boro. So after so much upheaval and chaos at Chelsea, even in Pochettino's six months in charge, the gray clouds are starting to clear, and there is no better way to mark progress than by winning a major trophy.

But perhaps that applies more to Pochettino than Chelsea. Yes, Chelsea always want to win, but Pochettino must justify his status as one of the best managers in football by winning trophies. And just like producing exciting young teams, as he did before at Spurs and Southampton, it's not enough if the end result doesn't result in a trophy.

If Chelsea face London neighbors Fulham at Wembley next month, they will be strong favorites to win, but Pochettino's side will be underdogs if their opponents are Liverpool. Yet only Manchester City have won more trophies than Chelsea in the last 10 years, so no matter who faces Pochettino's side at Wembley, they will do so with the expectation that comes with all top clubs.

They have the talent within their team; trophy-winning experience in the form of Sterling, Palmer and Thiago Silva; and a coach with something to prove. This Chelsea team is a long way from finishing the article, but they are just one win away from lifting a trophy, and that's a good place for the team and Pochettino to be in so soon after his arrival at the club last summer.