Chelsea’s recent form has been far from impressive, with just three wins in their last nine matches. Glen Johnson, former Chelsea and England full-back, predicts that Newcastle will come out on top in their upcoming clash at Stamford Bridge. He agrees with Gary Neville’s assessment of Mauricio Pochettino’s players as ‘billion pound bottle jobs’, and believes that the pressure is mounting on the Argentine manager.
Chelsea’s disappointing run began with a painful defeat in the Carabao Cup final against an inexperienced Liverpool team. The team’s struggles continued with a 2-2 draw against Brentford last weekend. Now, they face the challenge of bouncing back against Newcastle, who are currently in ninth place. Johnson warns that Newcastle’s good goal-scoring form makes them a dangerous opponent for Chelsea, who have been lacking in attacking prowess. He predicts a 2-1 victory for Newcastle based on their current form.
Despite the speculation surrounding Pochettino’s future at Chelsea, Johnson hopes that the club will stick with him. He believes that Pochettino is a top manager and that he just needs more time to settle in. The club has undergone significant changes and turmoil, and Johnson believes that patience is necessary for the team to find stability. He praises Pochettino’s ability to manage a fantastic group of players and remains optimistic about their future under his leadership.
Pochettino’s team, currently in 11th place in the Premier League, faced criticism during Chelsea’s Carabao Cup final loss to Liverpool. Sky Sports co-commentator Neville referred to Pochettino’s players as ‘billion pound bottle jobs’, a comment that former Manchester United defender Johnson agrees with. Johnson believes that Neville’s comment, although not expressed in the same words, is accurate. He points out that if Chelsea couldn’t win that final, they may struggle in any final. Johnson highlights that Liverpool had only two senior players left in the last 20 minutes of the game, and questions why Chelsea, with two midfielders that cost over £100 million, couldn’t dominate the match. However, Johnson acknowledges that the young players on Chelsea’s team are also talented and not to be underestimated. Despite this, Johnson believes that Chelsea should have achieved a better result and can only blame themselves.
