‘Middlesbrough game important for ruling on Pochettino’

Will Faulks, Chelsea , external

If the last few weeks have taught Chelsea fans anything, it’s that the cliche “the results speak for themselves” cannot really be applied to football.

Chelsea’s recent run of results do not speak for themselves. In fact, the past few games played by the Blues have convinced some that Mauricio Pochettino deserves more time, and others that he is never going to be the right choice as manager.

This paradoxical situation has been created by the fixture list. Chelsea have played a series of weaker teams and beaten most of them, but in unconvincing fashion. The pro-Pochettino camp can point to four wins in their past five in the league, while the anti-Pochettino camp can point to the reality of the wins over Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, Luton and Fulham – at best ugly, and at worst undeserved.

So tonight’s second leg against Middlesbrough in the EFL Cup semi finals has taken on even more importance, as it will be used as the key piece of evidence either way. If the team come out after their break firing on all cylinders to blow Boro away, it will be another good result to add to the pile and a cup final as hard evidence that Pochettino is making progress.

If we lose, the doubters have further weight to their argument that recent positive results have been the product of good fortune and a kind fixture list, rather than evidence that we are gradually seeing a coherent team forming.