Mauricio Pochettino had another win to discuss at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening as Chelsea overcame Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup. It took a penalty shootout after Mykhailo Mudryk saved the game with a stoppage-time equaliser but the Blues progressed to the semi-final of the competition. The night saw Chelsea have to come from behind after a first half goal from Callum Wilson, as they also saw Enzo Fernandez leave the field before the first 45 minutes were up. The west London side pushed hard to find a way back into the game and Stamford Bridge saw Christopher Nkunku’s debut, which helped lift the atmosphere.
Pleased with the result?
I am so pleased and the players deserve some credit. After conceding the way we did, we didn’t deserve to concede, it can affect any team. We reacted really well and dominated the game against a very good team like Newcastle. Then we keep pushing in the second half and make some changes and of course, try to provide the team with some impact. The most important in football is to believe until the end and that was possible because we keep believing and then always we know penalties are a lottery. Of course, talent and quality. Of course, so pleased because our objective before the game was to go through to the semi-final. We are in the semi-final and now we need to move on and wait tomorrow and then be focused and be ready for the next Premier League game.
How important is the win for you?
I think these type of games are important, the way we can achieve the way to go through to the semi-final. Always it is so important. Like it is important when you don’t play well, games like Everton and Newcastle away from home, to realise in which area we need to improve. Both are really important and to really feel for this group, in the way we want to evolve and develop the ideas. So pleased because I think when you see the whole squad, players that weren’t involved in the game, players that were injured but they wanted to share the happiness in the middle of the pitch. I think it looks like we are a healthy group of players that only need time and our responsibility is to guide them to really improve every day. Withh time I think we are going to create a very good team that can compete and increase the competition and can be in the place that Chelsea should be.
Do you practise penalties?
Always we practice but that is not why. Finishing, shooting, set-pieces, how to defend set-pieces, penalties of course, Not every day but a few days a week players are doing things. To be honest you can practise penalties every day but it is about how you manage yourself, the stress, the competition and the quality. If I am going to shoot every day and then go and start to shake and put the ball the away, no? It’s more about the quality than the practise in this type of subject.
Big night for individuals like Christopher Nkunku?
We are talking about players that are young, players that arrive and suffer an injury, disturb. Now they meet the team, then they meet the competition. They need time to start to perform to get the best form. That is sometimes, everyone can judge, yes, yo are going to play but the most important is in which form? Because the expectation is to see the best Nkunku, the problem is we need time for him to perform in the way we expect. One thing is to be available, another is performing to the way we expect. Too much pressure on him, day by day we are pushing him to arrive as soon as possible to his best to try to help the team in the way we expect.
Enzo Fernandez latest?
He asked to go out because he was a little bit sick before the game. He suffered some problems with his stomach. He wanted to play, he said, ‘okay, see if it’s going well’. Rather than well it went not so well and that is why
Levi Colwill?
Levi was more because my perception was at the end of the first half is that he was a little bit tired. We wanted to put some more offensive players like Malo and to provide more energy in the side. That was why. Also the option of Malo in the second half to continue to play with Levi Colwill but he is going to be ready. It’s nothing, it was only a bit tired in my perception, to change the way we were playing
Fan came onto the pitch?
I didn’t see. Always I think we need to be careful and fans need to be careful. I don’t like this type of thing because I think it is a thing that can put in danger the players. I am disappointed, I don’t agree with this type of thing that happened in football here and in Stamford Bridge and the same if it happened in another stadium. Disappointed with this type of thing because it’s so dangerous and hope it doesn’t happen again.
