Any hope or expectation that Mauricio Pochettino would be some kind of miracle worker for Chelsea has dissipated after another sobering five months at Stamford Bridge. The scale of the monumental task facing the Argentine tactician has become all too apparent, with the Blues so far unable to escape the clutches of mid-table after ending their nightmarish 2022-23 campaign in 12th.
There are, however, the shoots of recovery. Having cobbled together a run of three league wins in a row for the first time since October 2022, Chelsea are within striking distance of a place in the top six, and they are beginning to show the kind of mettle that has been the backbone of the club’s success in the modern era.
However, given the magnitude of their fall from grace last season, this is no quick fix. Pochettino has his side heading laboriously in the right direction, but do not expect to see them at their best for some time yet.