Carpenter’s Corner #2: Solve the problems or go, Pochettino!

It is no secret that Chelsea have been struggling for a while now. Despite a strong pre-season… recurring injuries and a multitude of other factors have contributed to a less successful season than the team, manager, owners and fans had hoped.

This is disappointing after a dreadful 2022/23 campaign, a good summer window and a brand-new squad.

Pressure is beginning to mount on Pochettino and some within the fanbase have begun calling for his sacking, seeing positional naivety and tactically poor setups. A particularly disappointing loss to Everton capped this off.

Now, it’s important to note that this column isn’t calling for Pochettino to be sacked.

While there is little faith amongst many in him at this stage to turn things around, there is also a concern that considering how poor the managerial decisions have been since the new ownership took over, some then argue they have even less faith in those responsible getting Pochettino’s replacement right in any eventual sacking.

For that reason, I would personally keep Pochettino until the end of the season outside of drastic circumstances (relegation threat for example) and look to move him on from there unless things turn around in the second half of the season.

The million-dollar question is therefore, who would be a good fit if Pochettino were to leave, either at the end of the season or during it?

There have already been rumblings of Chelsea’s affinity for Arne Slot, the Feyenoord coach, as well as the more common calls for the next big upcoming coach, such as Ruben Amorim or Xabi Alonso.

However, these discussions have already been done to death. Besides, after the Graham Potter experiment, who’s to say that an up-and-coming manager like the three above would even do well at Chelsea, or even want to manage us at all?

We’re going to talk mostly about some unorthodox choices for Pochettino’s eventual replacement; two interim and 2 permanent appointments.

All of these choices have their pros and cons, as no managerial appointment is “perfect”, but we’ve tried to select managers who would fit what Chelsea need right now. Could Chelsea’s unlikely hero be among these names? Let’s find out.

Interim – Julen Lopetegui

I told you they might be unorthodox and Lopetegui, despite his cameo with Wolves ending short, is a very competent coach.

He has worked with elite names across Europe having managed both Real Madrid and the Spanish national side, so he would not be intimidated by the bigger personalities in the squad and he has experience of what top sides require to win.

Chelsea is one of the only equivalent environments to Real Madrid or Spain in terms of pressure and while Lopetegui didn’t win much with either (but did win the Europa League with Sevilla), it’s clear to see where his strengths lie, and having saved Wolves from relegation already, an interim role would suit him well.

Onto tactics, Lopetegui plays a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 depending on the setup of the squad (Spain was a 4-3-3 while Sevilla was 4-2-3-1 for example) either formation would work well at Chelsea.

The latter is what Pochettino plays now and wouldn’t require much adjustment from the players, meaning he could hit the ground running. The former may get the best out of our midfield with an extra body, with many fans calling for 4-3-3 for some time.

Lopetegui’s strikers tend to want to come deep for the ball and link up play with the wingers, this is what Jackson excels at, with potentially a slight tactical tweak being the difference between buying a striker in the summer and not.

This approach also works for Broja, who has the physicality to play with his back to goal also. Considering Chelsea’s current struggles in front of goal, maximising the strikers’ involvement seems like a sensible solution.

Lopetegui has a high pressing system with clear attacking patterns, which are also very similar to Poch’s core principles.

Effectively, you could call him the safe choice, the parachute manager. Break glass in case of relegation threat, but as an interim, Chelsea could do a lot worse. On top of all that, he’s actively available, unlike the others on this list.

But for as safe a name as he might be, Lopetegui isn’t without his risks. For starters, despite being the coach for Real Madrid and Spain, two of the most dominant teams in world football on their day, he didn’t manage to win anything with either of them.

His first and only senior trophy is the Europa League with Sevilla. If you bring him back to the Premier League, would he be able to deliver? Even as an interim, Chelsea have to assume they can win trophies and push the winning culture forward, is Lopetegui the guy to ensure that? For me that’s unlikely.

Lopetegui also relies a lot on versatile, hard running midfielders, which would mean yet again, a coach who gets the best out of Gallagher and not our £220 million duo.

Similarly, Lopetegui’s reliance on fitness and pressing makes him very similar stylistically to Pochettino, that’s a blessing and a curse.

On the one hand, our players will understand what’s required of them quicker, but on the other, our deficiencies may still stay.

If you get a coach in similar to Poch, he may well have similar issues, especially when it comes to breaking down Chelsea’s white whale, the dreaded low block.

Lopetegui took Wolves from 19th to 13th, but left at the end of the season due to differences in opinion. Lopetegui seems like a guy who has courage in his convictions and won’t compromise for others, so would he even be a good fit for a team like Chelsea, with very hands-on ownership?

Potentially, it may simply take the right circumstances to come about for someone like him to flourish. But any interim is not going to get much time, and it’s hard to say beyond Wolves how quickly he would impact Chelsea’s form, which is in dire need of a swift turnaround.

Permanent – Diego Simeone

Diego Simeone is a world class coach with a formula that works. The second he would walk into Cobham, the respect he would command and his hard-nosed mentality would translate extremely well to a young hungry team eager to prove themselves.

Simeone is one of the only coaches in world football that other coaches actively fear. It is the ultimate pragmatic managerial choice; dare I say that it’s proper Chels?

As we know, Simeone is an intense character and he would be able to bring that intensity to Chelsea, setting the standard among the players and letting them know what to expect, considering his vast experience in La Liga and the Champions League.

Simeone ensures that his team is hard to beat, regardless of who he plays or which players start. It is very much reminiscent of Thomas Tuchel’s famous quote, “we will build a team nobody wants to play against”, that is what Simeone provides you.

Simeone doesn’t suffer fools in the same way that Potter did and Poch sometimes appears to. If you cannot fit the mould, you won’t play.

That ruthless intensity and drive from Simeone is what gives his teams their never-say-die attitude, something that Chelsea need to lean into, as we’ve been saying die a lot recently.

Simeone’s massive success as a coach also cannot be understated for a team as inexperienced as Chelsea’s, many would be so star-struck they would run through a brick wall for him.

Simeone’s style of play translates well to the Premier League. A hard to break down, defensive style suits the Premier League more than an over attacking style does.

It also suits Chelsea better, with Simeone playing a 3-5-2 quite commonly. For Chelsea this would be perfect to get the best out of our centre-backs and wing-backs, it would protect Thiago Silva and the midfield three with less ground to cover.

Flooding the midfield is also important in the Premier League where games are won and lost (United and Everton both depressingly good recent examples).

Simeone simply won’t accept that and neither would his system. He would be able to iron out some of the bigger mistakes players are making, getting us more defensively solid while hopefully implementing a clear philosophy and mentality.

However, just like Lopetegui, Simeone as a permanent manager has his downsides. His ruthlessness in squad building is a gift and a curse, as only his players will play and be bought, could this be incompatible with the way the owners at Chelsea like to operate in the transfer market?

Simeone also relies a lot on experience in his teams, which Chelsea currently have very little of. His preference for established players could harm the development of some of our young stars, and also clash with our board.

While the best may rise to the top and refuse to be ignored, it would be very easy to see the Chelsea of old return (and not in a good way) with makeweight system players taking important opportunities from young players who may well be better than them if given some faith and time.

Simeone is a coach that knows you are only as good as your last result, the pragmatism of his would certainly come with success but that will not be without a long-term cost.

Similarly, there is the point of getting him out of Atletico, would he even want to come considering the mess Chelsea find themselves in? I’m unsure, things would probably need to go sour at Atletico first, where he’s highly revered. Atletico to Chelsea at present is a step down and beyond financial compensation and an attractive move to London and the chance to work in the best league, we don’t have much to offer.

There is arguably more pressure and a harder, more collaborative environment to work in, which doesn’t appear to suit Simeone. As a result, he’s not typically the “type” of manager the owners would go for.

While his style would be well suited to the premier league, there is also an argument that Simeone hasn’t often proved it outside of Spain and the change from La Liga to the Premier League would require a teething period, are Chelsea fans patient enough for that?

Mentality is arguably Simeone’s best attribute to bring to the side, but it could also be a downside. Chelsea currently have an aggression and discipline issue, with the most yellow cards in the premier league this season and our captains seeing red far too often, I’m not sure if this would change under Simeone, who’s teams can be notoriously brutish, physical and nasty.

If he is able to reel in the discipline and keep the aggression then great, but that is much easier said than done.

Above all else, Simeone’s football is notoriously pragmatic, some online would even call it ugly. Of course, aesthetics are second to results in football always, but it’s easier to stomach a transition if you are playing good football.

Simeone is undoubtedly a great coach and for me, his positives severely outweigh his negatives, he just “is” a Chelsea coach, maybe he will get the chance to prove it someday.

Interim – Jose Mourinho

The big kahuna. The master. The special one. What else is there to say about Jose Mourinho? He’s won it all and many would be ecstatic about one last dance, a round 3.

Why only as an interim and not on a permanent basis? Mourinho in short bursts is one of the best managers on earth, however the unwritten rule of Jose is he never stays anywhere for very long, but we’ll get to that, what would make this a good appointment?

Firstly, mentality. Jose is renowned for his world class mentality and with the squad seemingly struggling to engage that killer instinct of Chelsea’s past, Mourinho would be the perfect appointment to kickstart a cultural reset at the club which is badly needed. Jose is unlikely to feel the pressure, having coached the biggest teams (and Tottenham) and the biggest names throughout his career.

If anything, Jose shines in the spotlight and him drawing attention to himself would take a lot of pressure off the players. That is what a world class manager does.

Jose also knows Chelsea’s identity. He has the medals and the contacts in his phone to prove it. Many of Chelsea’s current players idolise Mourinho and the boost alone from simply having him around the club could make a huge difference.

It has the potential to lift up the entire club. Another green flag is that Mourinho loves Chelsea, he still has his house in West London and he always calls Stamford Bridge his home.

Mourinho is so loved at Chelsea that he would surely command more time to settle than other coaches have had, which could make a difference in player development and results if the fans are more patient with Jose which they most likely would be considering who he is.

He is a top coach and will almost guarantee trophies as well, with a mass of experience dealing with every scenario known to man both on and off the pitch.

A key change from Mourinho as he’s gotten older is his wisdom and slightly more flexible tactical approach. At Roma, he often plays three at the back, and has switched between systems throughout his career.

This means he will play Chelsea in the best formation based on the team’s personnel to maximise success and not necessarily by what he finds comfortable to coach.

He is coach who puts the team before himself and that’s absolutely critical to Chelsea’s future.

Let’s not pretend for all his brilliant qualities however, that Jose doesn’t have his hangups. First off, he’s happy and well liked at Roma and while Chelsea is his home, he wouldn’t just abandon a team he loves, especially for an interim role, one would suspect.

So, things would have to go south with Roma first. In fact, it is unlikely Jose would accept an interim job at all because it doesn’t suit him. For Jose, you almost want an interim period plus the following season to get the most out of him.

As I stated however, Jose can’t stay anywhere for long, after 2 seasons it tends to come apart at the seams, which is why an interim plus 1 setup would be ideal. You get the best out of Jose before wasting a season when it all inevitably collapses.

That is to say if Jose would want to come back with the club in its current state. It would be hard to imagine him doing well with the owners (imagine him telling Egbhali to “pay and don’t speak” for Osimhen for example).

He would need more control that neither the sporting directors, nor owners would give him, based on the current facts.

Another one of Jose’s hangups is his development of young players. Considering that our squad is 99% young players, it’s an important attribute to have in the club right now.

Jose has always preferred to buy ready made than develop younger talent and considering his career success it’s hard to argue with him.

However, when your whole team is young, would Mourinho really be able to have the patience himself to get the best out of them? I’m unsure.

For me, Jose has the fewest cons on the list, but the ones he does have make him a chaotic choice. I would be all for bringing him home, but Jose would need to do things he hasn’t done that much in a somewhat alien club to the one he knew.

If anyone could get Chelsea back on track, it’s him, but it won’t be smooth sailing.

Permanent – Roberto De Zerbi

Finally, let’s talk about Roberto De Zerbi. De Zerbi is a fantastic coach with a very compelling style of management. His time at Brighton so far has shown that he has the potential to be one of the best coaches in the world (bear in mind we did say this about Graham Potter also though).

He is more than capable of managing in the Premier League and has adjusted comfortably. He plays a 4-2-3-1, so his style will be easy for the players to adjust to in game.

He would also be able to work well within our structure, as Brighton’s is pretty similar with the scouting department, recruitment and sporting directors working together with data to get targets that fit the coach’s requested profile.

De Zerbi has a relentless style of tactical training that constantly drills players in the same positions over and over so that in games there is a familiarity with the positions players find themselves in.

This works very well for him and his Brighton side, who are playing ball with the best of them on a consistent basis.

De Zerbi has also shown he can work with young players. Players like Evan Ferguson and Billy Gilmour are good examples of him developing young players into better versions of themselves. However better still, De Zerbi has already worked with some members of our squad to great success, including Caicedo, Colwill and Mudryk when he was Shakhtar Donetsk coach.

If he was able to get a similar tune out of all 3, Chelsea would roar up the table, especially as his clear instructions and training regimen would suit our young squad strongly.

However, some elements of De Zerbi’s game and system are worrying. De Zerbi’s training style requires players to run the same or similar circuits over and over to gain familiarity with them, but that means there is often no “plan B” if his team get stuck.

They can only play in their way and due to how much they’re drilled, there’s not a lot of room for creativity of an individual to get them out of it.

This season De Zerbi has been more closely studied and whilst Brighton are still doing well, there is much less of an ethereal aura around De Zerbi and a recognition that he might have been found out.

It will be up to De Zerbi to enhance his adaptability within his system and to keep winning games to prove this wrong, but it’s hard not to see past him being extremely talented but one dimensional at present.

The other fear is Brighton itself, beyond having to give Tony Bloom even more money (which fills me with rage) there needs to be an understanding that hiring De Zerbi would be taking him from his best possible environment; one with a decisive owner and a world class recruitment system, with constant support for the manager in a smaller club with less pressure.

Hiring him at Chelsea would arguably put him in the worst possible environment. A team desperate to win under massive scrutiny from all sides about everything, with mounting pressure after every game not won.

We have to understand Brighton set up their players and coaches to succeed by putting them in the best possible circumstances for their development and career.

Take those players and coaches out of that system and suddenly they struggle. Chelsea are yet to get their money’s worth from recent transfers from Brighton including Caicedo, Sanchez and Cucurella.

So, there is no guarantee for De Zerbi being a success, we have arguably seen his high ceiling, but we haven’t seen his floor. In a tough environment that he hasn’t been in before (much reminiscent of Graham Potter’s situation) he could struggle and only time would help him implement his system well, but that is hard to achieve with a notoriously impatient fanbase.

As a result, there’s an argument that De Zerbi wouldn’t even want to go from Brighton where he is well loved and respected in the league to Chelsea where he could be a laughing stock within a year. De Zerbi will have seen Graham Potter throw his career away and might not risk doing the same.

Finally, despite playing 4-2-3-1, De Zerbi’s style of 4-2-3-1 is very different to Chelsea’s. De Zerbi seems to prefer a focal point, traditional striker up front. His system works better with an Evan Ferguson than it does with a Jackson-type profile.

Broja is not dissimilar, and we may get that profile in one of the upcoming windows, but it goes to show that De Zerbi’s system with the Chelsea squad as it currently is, isn’t a direct translation.

This is also shown true with the wingers. Adingra and Mitoma are high volume dribblers and generate a lot of chances for Brighton.

Chelsea’s only dribble-first winger is Madueke, who may well be gone come January.

De Zerbi has worked with Mudryk before and can get the best out of him, but he will need to adapt his system to do so, putting himself in unfamiliar territory.

Roberto De Zerbi is a great coach with a bright future, if he can work out the kinks in his game, he could become unstoppable, but that’s a big if to make when the pressure is on.

A move to Chelsea could either send him to the stratosphere to be our coach for years to come or watch him crash and burn like so many before him.