Mauricio Pochettino: Five key issues the new Chelsea manager needs to address

The Argentine is tasked with rebuilding an unbalanced squad low on confidence after a miserable season

Mauricio Pochettino has been appointed Chelsea manager and is tasked with reviving the club after a miserable season. Reuters

Chelsea's search for their next permanent manager concluded with the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino on a two-year deal, which will start on July 1. There is an option to extend for a further year.

The Argentine is a familiar figure in the Premier League following his largely successful five-year spell in charge of Chelsea's London rivals Tottenham and his season-and-a-half at Southampton. Pochettino's most recent job was at Paris Saint-Germain and he has been out of work since July last year after 19 months in the French capital.

Chelsea will hope Pochettino is suitably rested and refreshed because there are plenty of issues to address if he is to transform the club's fortunes after a miserable season.

Here are five of the biggest problems.

Fix a bloated, unbalanced squad

Chelsea's massive squad is well documented, with stories of players changing in the corridors and sitting on the floor during team meetings because there isn't enough space to accommodate everyone.

Around £600 million was spent on 16 players during the new owners' first season and, while it's allowed the Blues to recruit several highly rated players, it has left the squad bloated and unbalanced. Chelsea have eight central midfielders and six wide forwards, but remain over-reliant on Ben Chilwell and Reece James at full-back.

In Kai Havertz , the Blues have one of the most talented No 10s in Europe but no recognised centre-forward beyond an apathetic Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Defensively, the team is in good shape – Chelsea have the joint-third meanest defence this season – but there is a severe lack of cohesion in the team.

Pochettino needs to take a metaphorical axe to the squad and trim it down to a more manageable size. Otherwise, he will face the same selection and management problems as Graham Potter and Frank Lampard.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was marginalised in his debut season, despite Chelsea's lack of senior strikers. EPA

Solve the striker issue

Defensively sound and stacked with talent in midfield and wide areas, yet Chelsea finished 12th in the final standings. The problem has been obvious and long-standing: a lack of goals. Only Wolves (31), Everton (34) scored fewer than Chelsea's 36 goals this season.

While the team's struggles for cohesion and confidence can be partly to blame, the absence of a top-level and recognised striker has been an issue for some time.

Romelu Lukaku was meant to be the answer when he returned to Stamford Bridge in a then club record move in August 2021 but was shipped back on loan to Inter Milan after one unhappy season. Lukaku has belatedly found form in Italy, so it will be interesting to see if Pochettino tries to convince the Belgian to give Chelsea one more go.

Whether Lukaku returns or not, identifying a striker to spearhead his team and supply the goals needs to be a top priority for Pochettino.

Edouard Mendy and Kepa Arrizabalaga vie for Chelsea's No 1 jersey. AFP

Goalkeeper dilemma

Not so long ago, Chelsea were blessed with the problem of whether to make Petr Cech or Thibaut Courtois their No 1 goalkeeper. Pochettino now faces a very different issue regarding the man between the sticks.

Kepa Arrizabalaga, the goalkeeper signed in a world-record deal to succeed Courtois, endured such a challenging start to life at Chelsea that Edouard Mendy was brought in to solve the issue. The Senegalese appeared to be the answer but he, too, suffered a prolonged dip in form and has struggled with injury this season.

Kepa has improved since that first disastrous year but the Spaniard can hardly be regarded as among the best goalkeepers in the world.

If Chelsea want to quickly get back to challenging for trophies, they need an elite goalkeeper. Pochettino will need to decide whether Mendy can rediscover his best form or enter the market for a new No 1.

Todd Boehly's first season of ownership was fraught with challenges. EPA

Take control of football matters

It should be the very minimum responsibility of a football manager but interference from owners and boardrooms has become increasingly common.

Chelsea co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali have made several major decisions in their first season in charge, many of which have contributed to the club's instability. A scattergun transfer policy, the firing of key executives like Cech and Marina Granovskaia to hand Boehly more control over sporting and technical matters, and even regular visits to the dressing room have painted a picture of a dysfunctional club.

It was reported that Pochettino was initially hesitant to become the new manager due to the owners' prominent involvement but the Argentine has received assurances that he will have greater control over football matters. That will need to include a central role in transfer incomings and outgoings, working directly with co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, and limiting the dressing room appearances from the owners.

Chelsea's confidence has been severely affected by a run of poor results. AFP

Instil belief and confidence

In the midst of their seven-match losing run, one of Lampard's observations was of a team "low on confidence". That much has been obvious throughout the season.

Chelsea have had no problems controlling possession and creating chances but their lack of a killer instinct in front of goal and poor game management have been their downfall – clear signs of a team struggling for form and belief.

Those negative vibes have permeated throughout the fan base, making Stamford Bridge a bleak and depressing place as supporters grew tired of underwhelming performances and poor results.

Pochettino needs to ensure this season's misery is quickly banished to the past. He will need to instil belief in his squad and get them fully prepared to start the new campaign in a positive frame of mind. If he can do that, Chelsea have enough talent to string a run of wins together and rediscover the feel-good factor both among his players and around the stadium.

Chelsea 2022/23 season player ratings

CHELSEA 2022/23 SEASON RATINGS: Kepa Arrizabalaga - 6. After starting the season on the bench, he made the No 1 jersey his own with an excellent run of form. Performances tailed off as Chelsea's season unravelled, and while Kepa didn't do much wrong, he hardly saved his team either. Getty.

Edouard Mendy - 5. A shaky start to the season saw Mendy dropped to the bench, while a long-term shoulder injury prevented the Senegalese stopper from trying to reclaim his place. Returned to the squad in April and hardly to blame for Chelsea's demise. Getty

Trevoh Chalobah - 6. Effort and dedication can't be faulted but the Academy graduate looked out of his depth at times. Should be used as a reliable squad player next season. Getty

Kalidou Koulibaly - 5. The Senegalese defender veered from commanding to comical - sometimes in the same game. Whether this was a first-season adjustment period or if Koulibaly is on the decline, it will be interesting to see if we get to find out or if the former Napoli star will depart. Getty

Benoit Badiashile - 7. The 22-year-old January signing looked good in the appearances he was afforded, and should be given a much bigger role next season. Reuters

Wesley Fofana - 5. Arrived with a massive price tag and to huge excitement last summer, the French defender's season was one blighted by injury. When Fofana returned to the team, he looked off the pace and struggled for form. One of many players who should benefit from a reset ahead of the new season. Getty

Thiago Silva - 7. At 39 years old, the Brazilian is still Chelsea's best central defender. Called upon to play more games than was probably initially planned as the season unravelled. Still classy but it became increasingly clear he's now best in the middle of a back three. Will be a huge leader next season as Chelsea attempt to pick up the pieces. Getty

Marc Cucurella - 3. The poster boy for Chelsea's reckless and thoughtless transfer strategy. The Spanish fullback can't be accused of a lack of effort but looked well short of the £60m the Blues paid Brighton for his services. Expected to leave in a cut-price deal this summer. Reuters

Ben Chilwell - 6. A season severely disrupted by injury, Chilwell's various absences hit Chelsea hard. Ended the season with another injury, and will hope to fully recover to hit the ground running after the summer. AFP

Lewis Hall - 7. The youngster's emergence was both a promising sign for Chelsea's future and symbolic of a disastrous transfer policy that saw Cucurella signed for £60m when Hall proved to be more than capable at left-back. Full of energy and enthusiasm and impactful going forward. Work to do defensively but he's only 18. Getty

Reece James - 6. Limited to just 24 appearances in all competitions, James' worrying injury record extended into another season. No coincidence that Chelsea's alarming slump began when he was first sidelined. Getty

Cesar Azpilicueta - 5. As committed and professional as ever but respectfully, the captain's legs went this season. Sustained a nasty concussion which did not help his cause. If he remains beyond the summer, the Spaniard should be used very much as a dressing room influence. Reuters

Enzo Fernandez - 7. The Argentine midfielder arrived in January fresh off a World Cup triumph and with a reputation as one of the brightest stars in world football. Showed moments of quality during a difficult spell for Chelsea, and will be a major player next season. Reuters

N'Golo Kante - 6. Another important player hit by injury for much of the season, the French midfielder's quality and energy were sorely missed. Typically lively when he made his return to the team. His future needs to be resolved. Getty

Denis Zakaria - 5. On loan from Juventus, the Swiss midfielder was not really part of any of the three managers' plans this season, although did OK when given games. EPA

Conor Gallagher - 7. Endured a disastrous start to the season but improved as the campaign wore on when he was given more game time. Provided plenty of energy and was a greater goal threat than many of Chelsea's forward players. With the likes of Kante and Kovacic - and even Mount - potentially leaving, Gallagher could have a key role next season. EPA

Mateo Kovacic - 6. The Croatian has been superb throughout his Chelsea career but there was a noticeable drop off this season. Still helped the Blues control possession for most games but the cut and thrust that make Kovacic such an influential midfielder were not quite at the same level. Big question marks about his future. EPA

Ruben Loftus-Cheek - 5. Very much a squad player who struggled to make his mark this season. The Academy graduate is reportedly the subject of interest from AC Milan and could be part of the expected mass exodus. AFP

Carney Chukwuemeka - 6. The teenager signed from Aston Villa last summer was limited in his appearances but looks an exciting talent. AFP

Mason Mount - 4. Having emerged as arguably Chelsea's best player the previous two seasons, this was a significant setback. Injuries played a part but three goals in 35 appearances was hugely disappointing. Confidence looked shot by the time his campaign ended prematurely. Despite the poor season, Chelsea will hope to resolve his future to prevent a potentially damaging move to a rival. PA

Kai Havertz - 6. Chelsea's leading goalscorer this season but with nine in all competitions, that isn't saying much. The German is an outrageously talented player but was again the victim of Chelsea's failure to sign a recognised striker. Will the next manager finally play Havertz at No 10 before it's too late and he leaves? Reuters

Mykhaylo Mudryk - 5. After Chelsea beat Arsenal to the Ukrainian's signature and he enjoyed a blistering cameo, the hype only increased. That's about as good as it got for Mudryk in his first half season. Blessed with extreme pace but still a raw talent, Mudryk should kick on next season. Getty

Christian Pulisic - 4. A knee injury hardly helped but the American was ineffective before and after. A single goal in 29 appearances is nowhere near good enough. Could be another to exit Stamford Bridge this summer. AFP

Raheem Sterling - 4. Signed as an oven-ready solution to help solve Chelsea's goalscoring woes, Sterling was a shadow of the prolific Manchester City player. Scored nine goals in 37 appearances and generally posed little threat when on the ball. Can still be an important player next season. Getty

Noni Madueke - 7. Part of the mad January transfer splurge, Madueke is another exciting young talent who showed glimpses of his potential. Should contribute plenty more next season. PA

Hakim Ziyech - 5. Became a peripheral player and almost left on loan to PSG in January, only for the classic fax machine mishap to occur. The Moroccan, who was superb at the World Cup, is a talented player but it's not quite happened at Chelsea. Surely on the move. PA

Joao Felix - 8. A rare bright spark in a bleak season for Chelsea, despite getting sent off on his debut and his loan fee hardly making financial sense. It was a scandal that Felix wasn't a regular starter during Lampard's brief, and disastrous, spell in charge as the Portuguese was the one attacking player who consistently created chances and scored a few goals. Unlikely to remain beyond this season. AFP

Armando Broja - 5. The Academy graduate loooked like he could have been a useful squad option but his season was cut short after a cruciate injury during a mid-season friendly in Abu Dhabi. Getty

David Datro Fofana - 6. A lively debut, after arriving in January, raised hopes Chelsea might have a exciting new striker on their hands. Except he barely played after that. Looks a talent, though. PA

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - 2. A return of three goals in 22 appearances marked a miserable return to the Premier League for the former Arsenal captain. Shot of confidence and sharpness, Aubameyang appears destined for the exit. EPA

Thomas Tuchel - 6. Oversaw the opening weeks of the season when Chelsea struggled for form. Still, his exit was an enormous shock and the season continued to unravel from there. Has since pitched up at Bayern Munich and won the Budesliga. EPA

Graham Potter - 3. Perhaps it was the wrong man in the wrong job at the wrong time, but Potter hardly helped his cause either. After an encouraging start, quickly looked out of his depth when results went south, and was sacked after winning just 12 of his 31 games in charge. Reuters

Frank Lampard - 1. Granted, he inherited a mess but the return of Chelsea's greatest player to the dugout failed to inspire a turnaround. Lost his first six matches in interim charge, his team selection was muddled, and he admitted himself he didn't know how or where to play Joao Felix, so he didn't. Which is unforgivable. Where Lampard goes from here is anyone's guess. Getty