Mauricio Pochettino handed new Chelsea suspension worry ahead of Arsenal clash after Jackson ban
Positive signs are emerging at Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea has secured three consecutive victories in all competitions, scoring seven goals and conceding just one.
This transformation aligns with the improvements Mauricio Pochettino aimed to achieve with his Chelsea team.
Before the Carabao Cup game against Brighton at the end of the previous month, Chelsea was enduring a challenging period.
The team had gone three matches without a win, suffering two losses, and hadn’t scored a single goal throughout September leading up to the cup match against the in-form Seagulls.
Nevertheless, Chelsea put up a determined performance on that night, clinching a one-goal victory at Stamford Bridge, surprising many considering their recent form.
Pochettino expressed his hope that this win would serve as a springboard for Chelsea, and it has indeed proven to be just that.
Subsequent back-to-back away wins against Fulham and Burnley in the Premier League have further solidified Chelsea’s resurgence. The team now appears transformed, particularly in attack, and is once again a potent force in offensive situations.
However, the upcoming challenge after the international break will be a true litmus test for Chelsea’s current standing relative to their rivals.
Arsenal, last season’s Premier League runners-up and potential title contenders this season, are set to visit Stamford Bridge.
Despite Chelsea’s recent upswing in form, the Gunners are considered strong favorites, having secured two wins over Chelsea in the Premier League last season.
Given that it’s a London derby, expectations of an intense encounter are high, and for one Chelsea player, Enzo Fernandez, accumulating two more yellow cards would result in a one-match suspension, as he is already on three yellow cards this season.
Fernandez, who arrived from Benfica for a hefty sum exceeding £100 million in the January transfer window, has rightly earned a lot of praise. His ball-handling skills are remarkable, and he’s equally known for his active involvement in the game, seldom avoiding a challenge.
This attribute is generally seen as a positive, but it comes with consequences, particularly in the form of frequent bookings.
If he receives another yellow card against Arsenal, he will be walking a fine line in anticipation of some challenging Premier League fixtures against Brentford, Tottenham, Manchester City, Newcastle United, Brighton, and Manchester United.
Pochettino addressed this issue last month, mentioning how he had a one-on-one conversation with Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson regarding their disciplinary concerns.
“Today we were talking about that because we were in a meeting with him [Jackson] and also Enzo,” the Argentine said.
“Come on, a striker with four yellow cards [now five]. To protest and to talk to a referee, if you need to get yellow cards, [do it in a] different action but not because of that.”
Following his one-match suspension, Jackson made his return to the team against Fulham and played a significant role in their 4-1 away victory over Burnley.
He managed to score a goal during the match, marking his second goal in just two recent appearances. This resurgence in form has aligned with the team’s return to being a formidable force in the Premier League.
“It’s always about building a team. It’s a young squad, a team that still need to know each other,” Pochettino said in an interview with Chelsea’s official website earlier in the week. “Only with time and training can we provide the team with what it needs. It’s why it is only a matter of time, no doubt.
“We need to be calm in the way we judge players and the team. I think we are growing and very good things are coming. You can feel that, even if sometimes we have some ups and downs. But, in the end, we will succeed together, for sure.”
The upcoming six matches appear to be quite challenging on paper for Pochettino and his Chelsea squad.
Hence, it would be ideal to keep Enzo from receiving any bookings, especially considering his increasing importance to the team.
Mauricio Pochettino handed new Chelsea suspension worry ahead of Arsenal clash after Jackson ban