Former Chelsea defender William Gallas has voiced his discontent with Mauricio Pochettino’s management at Stamford Bridge, expressing bewilderment over the team’s actions and a lack of consistency. Despite recent victories, Gallas is critical of Pochettino’s choices and tactics, particularly regarding the selection of left-backs.
Chelsea, currently ninth in the Premier League standings, is just three points behind sixth-placed West Ham and nine points behind fourth-placed Arsenal. Although the team has won three of their last five matches across all competitions, Gallas remains unconvinced about Pochettino’s management.
In an interview with Gambling Zone, Gallas remarked, “To be honest, his management is not really, really good at the moment.” He highlights the unpredictability in Chelsea’s performances, emphasizing the team’s pattern of winning one game, drawing the next, or losing. Gallas believes this inconsistency is a source of frustration for both the fans and himself.
One of Gallas’s main critiques revolves around Pochettino’s left-back choices. With injuries sidelining Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella for most of the season, Levi Colwill has filled in. Gallas questions why Chilwell, upon his return to the bench against Fulham, didn’t start playing immediately after being out since September.
Expressing his confusion, Gallas states, “I don’t understand why the manager is doing this; it’s hard to understand why the players are playing out of position.” He emphasizes the importance of playing players in their designated positions, even if they are not in peak form.
Gallas suggests that Pochettino may need to be more assertive with the young players brought in during recent transfer windows.
He argues that to build a cohesive team, the manager needs to be firm in his decisions. Gallas acknowledges Pochettino’s diplomatic approach but suggests that a balance between severity and openness with players is essential in the ever-changing landscape of football.
Addressing Pochettino’s approach to media criticism, Gallas remarks, “As a diplomat, Pochettino is. He makes an effort to build strong bonds with his players, but as we all know, the game of football is constantly changing.” Gallas is cautious about potential discomfort among players if Pochettino is too critical in public, especially with a squad comprising many young talents.
