Mauricio Pochettino acknowledged that Chelsea did not show enough desire and enthusiasm during their disappointing 2-2 draw with 10-man Burnley on Saturday.
Pochettino’s team were once again jeered as upset Chelsea fans expressed their frustration after their latest setback at Stamford Bridge.
When Cole Palmer scored from Raheem Sterling’s assist with 12 minutes remaining, Chelsea were on track to secure a narrow win.
Josh Cullen leveled the score for Burnley with a volley early in the second half after Palmer put Chelsea in the lead from the penalty spot.
Burnley’s Lorenz Assignon was sent off in the penalty incident for fouling Mykhailo Mudryk, while Clarets boss Vincent Kompany was also dismissed from the touchline for protesting.
Despite this, Chelsea still couldn’t accomplish their goal as Dara O’Shea scored past Djordje Petrovic’s weak attempted save in the 81st minute.
Pochettino was furious with his players’ lack of motivation against a team currently second from bottom in the Premier League.
“Today we didn’t demonstrate the ability, the energy, the hunger. We didn’t show the minimum required to compete in the Premier League. Defensively, we conceded too much,” Pochettino stated.
“That’s why I’m so upset and disappointed. It’s more in the heart and the head than in your legs. It’s about being strong as a group, strong as a team.
“We are too slow to progress in this area. That was the main issue today. But when we didn’t have the ball, we lacked the same energy.
“Today, I’m not satisfied with the performance when we don’t have the ball. It’s hard to accept not winning. It was a must-win game.”
Chelsea’s unbeaten league run of five games is the longest they have had in almost 18 months, but fans did not show much positive support towards Pochettino and his players at the end.
They fell further behind in their increasingly hopeless attempt to qualify for Europe, increasing the pressure on Pochettino in his troubled first season in charge.
Chelsea are currently in mid-table and lost to an inexperienced Liverpool side in the League Cup final.
They could salvage the season by winning the FA Cup, with a semi-final against holders Manchester City coming up in April.
To achieve that, Pochettino admitted they must address the psychological root of their lacklustre performances.
“The players need to understand that competing is different from playing football. We can be there and play, but we need to improve our level,” he said.
“It’s not about blaming the players. Maybe we (the coaching staff) need to be stricter with them.
“We need to be more ruthless, have better communication, and be more competitive.
“We are missing something. That’s why we are where we are. When we don’t have the ball, we need to enhance our ability to regain possession.
AFP
