'Supposed to be a good player' - Pochettino scrambles as Mikel makes sack claim

Stuart Telford

• Updated: 3 Mar 2024 09:42 GMT
• 3 min read

Mauricio Pochettino has hinted about how little he knows about Chelsea's transfers as Blues legend Jon Obi Mikel claims he would have been sacked already in the Roman Abramovich era.

Pochettino is coming under increasing pressure at Chelsea, with Saturday's 2-2 draw with Brentford being met with chants about Jose Mourinho and Abramovich ringing out at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Pochettino admitted at full-time that he "didn't feel the love" of the crowd, but in his post-match quotes he also let slip how little he knows about some of his players.

READ MORE: Forget Gallagher! Gusto gives Chelsea a bigger transfer problem

"We needed to provide the midfield the possibility not to cover too much distance. [Conor] Gallagher didn't start against Leeds because he was very, very tired.

— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) August 26, 2023

Lavia 'supposed to be a very good player'

"Because players like [Romeo] Lavia was supposed to be a very good player, and of course Lesley Ugochukwu. They are injured and we don’t have the possibility to refresh players that are in a key area."

That Pochettino isn't 100 per cent sure of Lavia's abilities - a player the Blues paid Southampton an initial £53 million for last August - speaks to how little involvement the manager has had in transfers, despite it reportedly being in his remit.

READ MORE: Latest Chelsea transfer news

Decrying a lack of cover in midfield also won't go down too well with fans given that Chelsea have also spent more than £200m combined on Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo since the start of the season.

Jon Obi Mikel might have plugged that gap if he was still playing, and the former Nigeria midfielder and two-time Premier League winner says Pochettino is under increasing pressure.

"If this was the Abramovich era, he would have lost his job," he told The Evening Standard's Nizaar Kinsella. "But I hope the new owners give Poch time. Let's see where we finish at the end of the season."