Madueke and Colwill called out for lack of tenacity despite Chelsea’s victory
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino didn’t hold back in a scathing post-match analysis, calling out two of his own players, Noni Madueke and Levi Colwill, for lacking the crucial ‘fight’ on the game.
Despite a hard-fought 2-1 win over Crystal Palace, Pochettino expressed irritation, arguing his team was too ‘nice’ in Premier League matches.
Pochettino told Amazon Prime: “I was talking to Madueke and Colwill and we need to realise that we are Chelsea and have a great history. The pressure is to win. We have nice players. But you need to fight.
“We play Palace and you need to fight. Sometimes we miss a little bit this characteristic. A team is always up and down, but we need to realise the Premier League is a step up.
“We need an impact from the bench to go and fight. The players need to come from the bench and they can’t complain and say, ‘Oh I want more game time’.”
Madueke, who saved a late penalty against Palace, received an unambiguous instruction from the Argentine manager: leave whining and start fighting for your spot.
Despite the winger’s significant contribution, Pochettino, known for his no-nonsense style, stressed Madueke’s restricted game time this season, with a total of 148 Premier League minutes.
Pochettino, who is fielding Chelsea’s youngest-ever starting 11, acknowledged the team’s inexperience but urged greater drive from his youthful players.
The manager was dissatisfied with the team’s perceived sluggish build-up play against Palace, causing him to call for a crisper, more aggressive approach in future games.
While enjoying a third consecutive win at Stamford Bridge, Pochettino’s focus on promoting a battling mentality in the team signifies a shift in the team’s mindset as they aim for Premier League excellence.
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