da leao： The Argentine is preparing his side for their second cup semi-final of the season, but his future as Blues boss should already be secure
da dobrowin： There will be a sense of deja vu for Mauricio Pochettino on Saturday afternoon; walking out under the Wembley arch for the second time in as many months, he will once again face a defining match in his Chelsea tenure as the major underdog.
But while there were calls for his head after the extra-time defeat to an under-strength Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final, the Argentine tactician is unlikely to face the same level of scrutiny if his side are unable to overcome Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-finals after overseeing something of a turnaround.
Although progress has been gruellingly slow, as he prepares his team for a second semi-final of the season, Pochettino has arguably done enough to keep his job when the Chelsea ownership come to review his position next month.
GettyCup consolation
However challenging the Premier League campaign might have been, Pochettino has used the cup competitions to his advantage and made Chelsea challengers again.
They are back at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday having reached the Carabao Cup final two months ago – two competitions they exited in the third rounds under Graham Potter last season, albeit both of those ties came against Man City.
The Blues fell short against Liverpool in February, despite taking the high-flying Reds all the way to the dying embers of extra time, and they will once again be massive underdogs when they walk out against City in north-west London.
If – and it's a big if – they can somehow overcome Pep Guardiola's men, a more favourable final lies ahead with Championship side Coventry City and fellow transition toilers Manchester United contesting the other semi.
Regardless of the result, though, Pochettino's feat of taking what was a rudderless Chelsea side back to within touching distance of the silverware the club craves and, indeed, expects should not be understated.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesEuropean chance
Relative cup success aside, there is no doubt that Chelsea are still nowhere near where they want to be in the league, with any hope that last season's nightmare was merely a blip brutally extinguished a matter of weeks into the new campaign.
It's evident that this is going to be a gruelling transition as the club tries to claw its way back to the top, and we are witnessing Pochettino oversee those baby steps – even if he is fighting a near-impossible battle against the impatience of a demanding fanbase.
Despite producing another catalogue of disappointing results in 2023-24, Chelsea are eight points better off than at the same stage last season, and since Christmas only the top three, Man City, Arsenal and Liverpool, have collected more amid an eight-game league unbeaten run.
Quite remarkably, a return to European football next season is not out of the question. The Blues have two games in hand on eighth-placed West Ham, who are one point ahead of them, and one in hand on Newcastle and Man Utd, who are just three points ahead and occupy sixth and seventh respectively.
Crucially, Chelsea have a far superior goal difference to Erik ten Hag's side, although that game in hand will be a tricky one at home to fierce rivals Tottenham and there is the small matter of Arsenal away to follow the cup semi-final.
GettyWhere there's Palmer, there's hope
The late push for European football has been spearheaded almost singlehandedly by revelatory summer signing Cole Palmer, and Pochettino deserves huge credit for overseeing his meteoric rise and giving him the freedom to succeed, despite the fact he didn't necessarily want to sign him in the first place.
"I think the sporting director and the owner of course, but the sporting director it was his idea to add him to the squad," the Argentine said when Palmer's arrival was confirmed in September. "I think he’s fit for the project. Talented player, of course."
Just six months on, as we approach the season's climax, Palmer has an outrageous 36 goal contributions in all competitions – without which Chelsea would be in serious trouble. The player himself is a staunch believer in Pochettino's project, and if there's anyone we should sit up and listen to at present, it's probably him.
"There is so much talent at Chelsea," he said recently. "The fans don’t see it, but the way the manager works us on the pitch, the things he does with us, it is only going to get better. I am sure, if not next season, then the season after. It is a project, everyone is young, you will see it sooner or later."
GettySigns of change
It is notable, too, that Palmer's individual displays have been emblematic of an overall change in style that seems to have unshackled certain members of the squad.
Although they have become agents of chaos and concede goals for fun, Chelsea's own goal-shyness is a thing of the past, and while they are still inconsistent, they generally play a cohesive, possession-based, attractive brand of football. There appears to be a newfound togetherness too, with the off-field issues of last season potentially behind them.
Players like Moises Caicedo and Nicolas Jackson are finding their feet and emerging as important figures, while the likes of Conor Gallagher and Raheem Sterling have made some crucial contributions, too.
The 6-0 demolition of Everton on Monday gave a glimpse of what could be possible if this project is allowed to gather steam. Indeed, this is still a team that is far, far, far from full strength.