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Chelsea already 'falling in love' after telling Mauricio Pochettino moment in training
Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino has only been in charge officially for three weeks but the players and supporters are already warming to his methods.
Pochettino states aims for Chelsea after taking over as manager
Mauricio Pochettino has only been in charge of Chelsea for three weeks, but any concerns supporters may have had over warming to their new boss have quickly dissipated after taking the team to the United States for pre-season. The Argentine succeeded Graham Potter in the dugout after Frank Lampard's ill-fated spell as caretaker and the new boss is proving to be a popular figure both with the fans and also the Chelsea players.
Pochettino's appointment has been praised by Chelsea fans after a turbulent first season under Todd Boehly, with Thomas Tuchel and Potter both sacked before Lampard won just one game out of 12 in charge.
And his arrival has resulted in a recent lift in morale amongst the players and fanbase, with one moment during a training session on Friday establishing just how good a coach Pochettino can be.
The former PSG tactician was spotted giving detailed instructions to young winger Diego Moreira, a new arrival from Benfica on a free transfer, in a short video clip posted on social media by London Is Blue podcast.
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The 18-year-old received some advice from his manager with a clear idea of what Pochettino wanted from the wide man, telling him to drift inside from the flank to receive the ball. It is a move favoured by several Premier League bosses, with Mikel Arteta one of the most prominent coaches insisting upon his wingers like Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli cutting inside.
Indeed, Pochettino didn't just point to what he wanted Moreira to do, he enacted the move himself as he jogged and jinked past the Portuguese in the demonstration. And only moments later, Moreira benefitted from Pochettino's feedback in a team move in the session.
It shows just how much of an impact he is having on the team already, with Chelsea fans showering their new manager with praise on social media.
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One user @MatyBlue95 said of the footage: "This is what I like to see", while @TonyOgbennia tweeted: "The full season of 2022-2023 I didn't like anything, but I love just how the coach is putting his heart of this team."
Another fan, @DanRuss1991, added: "I am going to fall in love with this guy like I did Tuchel and that scares me", attaching a crying-laughing emoji on the end. Twitter user @CFCFolshed said: "And Moreira did the exact same thing in the match which led to a goal."
It follows on from Thursday night when Pochettino cut an animated figure on the touchline, barking instructions to his players to play out from the back and be brave with the ball. He was delighted with their performance despite fielding a young side after dismantling League Two newcomers Wrexham 5-0.
Loved this from Pochettino during open training. ??????
— London Is Blue Podcast ⭐️⭐️ (@LondonBluePod) July 21, 2023
He explains to Diego Moreira how he wants his wingers to move in the situation they’re practicing. ??????️
Moreira takes the feedback on board and a few minutes later, we can see the full picture of what Poch was trying to do. ?????? pic.twitter.com/SmjF5TkGJv
Moreira was one of those to show glimpses of their ability, but it was notable how Pochettino constantly gave him individual feedback throughout the game to aid his development.
One of the goalscorers Christopher Nkunku, who was making his debut from the bench, has been encouraged by his first impressions of Pochettino as he prepares to fire Chelsea back to the top four.
“He’s a very good coach. He helps us a lot," he said. "We have just started with him and, as I said, the next weeks are [going to be] very positive.”
Chelsea take on Brighton next in Philadelphia in the early hours of Saturday morning, and Pochettino's work on the pitch could well pay off again with more coaching of this kind.