LONDON – Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino said he is “desperate” to get his hands on silverware in England after his side on Jan 23 booked their place in the League Cup final.
The Argentinian was also happy his players finally found their scoring boots, as they stormed to a 6-1 home thrashing of second-tier Middlesbrough to easily overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit.
The Blues struck four times before half-time as Jonny Howson’s own goal, Enzo Fernandez, Axel Disasi and Cole Palmer put the team on the road to Wembley.
Palmer and Noni Madueke piled the pain on Middlesbrough in the closing stages on a night that could prove the turning point in Pochettino’s reign.
A much tougher test awaits, against either Premier League leaders Liverpool or local rivals Fulham, in the final on Feb 25, but there are promising signs that an expensively assembled, yet still raw, squad are beginning to come together.
“Today we were very clinical in front of goal. We missed that in the first leg and we were disappointed. Today we were really good and I think that is the difference,” said Pochettino.
Most importantly, the 51-year-old now has the chance to win his first trophy in English football and Chelsea’s first since the club’s new owners took over in 2022 and started splashing out over £1 billion (S$1.7 billion) in transfer fees.
Pochettino previously managed Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton and Espanyol. He won the Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain in the 2021-22 season and also guided them to the French Cup and Trophee des Champions.
He came close to success with Spurs twice when they finished runners-up in the League Cup (2014-15) and Champions League (2018-19).
“I’m desperate to win a title here,” Pochettino said. “In one year and a half in Paris, we won three trophies, and we want to win one here. I’m desperate to win, of course.
“The job is done, but now it is about winning the final.”
Middlesbrough are 11th in the Championship and the gulf in class between the sides eventually told over 180 minutes.
The first blow of the night for Michael Carrick’s men was a self-inflicted one, as veteran midfielder Howson turned into his own net as he tried to prevent Armando Broja from getting to Raheem Sterling’s cross.
After struggling at home in the early months of Pochettino’s stint, Chelsea have now won seven consecutive games at Stamford Bridge and the floodgates opened as the hosts found their flow.
Disasi was deputising at right-back only because of injuries to Reece James and Malo Gusto, but the Frenchman combined beautifully with Sterling to square for Fernandez to put the five-time League Cup winners in front on aggregate.
He then showed the composure of a striker to stroke home Sterling’s low cross for just his second goal for the club.
If the second and third goals owed much to Chelsea finding their form, the fourth was a gift from the visitors as Daniel Barlaser conceded possession inside his own box and Palmer kept his head to finish clinically.
Of the huge investment made by Chelsea’s owners over the past 18 months, the £40 million splashed out on Palmer is looking the best buy.
The England international stroked home Conor Gallagher’s pass to make it 5-0 with his 11th goal in 23 games since his move from Manchester City.
Substitute Madueke’s effort then had too much power for Rav van den Berg to clear off the line.
But there was a crumb of consolation for the thousands of travelling fans from Teesside, who backed their side vociferously all night, when Morgan Rogers scored from outside the box two minutes from time.
“It’s mixed feelings in many ways because we felt their support so much, especially at the end,” said former Manchester United captain Carrick of the travelling support.
“Because of the scoreline, you almost feel like we don’t deserve it. But I do think the boys do deserve it, for the effort and also the run to get here.” AFP, REUTERS
