DANNY MURPHY: Be careful, Pep Guardiola! Mauricio Pochettino’s Chelsea play higher towards the large boys… his actual ardour is for attacking soccer and the membership are in secure arms

I used to be struck by Mauricio Pochettino’s heat after we first met at a Spurs recreation in 2018. He gave up a little bit of time speaking to my son earlier than inviting him into the dressing room to have photos taken with Harry Kane and others. 

It confirmed how relaxed he was an hour earlier than kick-off.

Quick ahead 4 years and we have been staying in the identical complicated on the World Cup, capable of chat about soccer – normally by the swimming pool!

Once more, I used to be impressed along with his information and honesty, qualities I believe are going to serve Chelsea properly.

My overriding impression was his ardour for the sport. He can be requested about working with Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe at Paris Saint-Germain however was educated about gamers of all nationalities and ranges.

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One dialog which is especially related to Sunday’s Chelsea-Manchester Metropolis recreation was Poch’s glowing reward for Josko Gvardiol after watching him play in defence for Croatia. 

‘Fast, robust, tremendous footballer’ have been phrases that spring to thoughts. He’ll be hoping Gvardiol has an off day at Stamford Bridge!

Pochettino’s achievements at Spurs have been important with a younger, energetic workforce and he’s even higher geared up as a supervisor now, having handled enormous egos at PSG, one thing he admitted had been a take a look at.

It was additionally clear to me that Poch will all the time be a coach who desires to play on the entrance foot. His actual ardour is for attacking soccer.

His Chelsea may have a go even whether it is taking a while to create a basis earlier than implementing his type.

I noticed them win at Tottenham on Monday evening and the way in which Nicolas Jackson, Raheem Sterling and Conor Gallagher pressed at 1-1 was pure Poch and an indication of issues to return.

Even towards Metropolis, I believe they’ll attempt to be adventurous. Confidence is so vital to younger gamers and scoring 4 at Spurs may have given them enormous perception.

Poch likes gamers who do the work. Even his first workforce at Spurs had nice athletes in Victor Wanyama and Mousa Dembele, who allowed the artistic gamers to shine. 

I’m to see Gallagher, a participant many predicted would depart Chelsea, changing into so vital this season due to his bodily output. Keep in mind, Pochettino was a troublesome participant himself.

It was nigh on unimaginable for him to get the PSG galacticos to do the exhausting yards off the ball. He won’t carry any passengers at Chelsea or construct an unbalanced aspect. I’m certain as soon as he noticed Gallagher in coaching he thought, ‘He’ll do for me’.

Enzo Fernandez has expertise and is barely 22 however at £109million must get fitter and be extra influential with and with out the ball. If he wants a job mannequin, he want solely take a look at the opposition on Sunday and see what Bernardo Silva has achieved at Metropolis.

You wouldn’t regard Bernardo because the quickest or strongest however by his work ethic and smarts in understanding when to fill a gap or intercept he has turn into defensively dependable for Pep Guardiola. 

Fernandez would have tailored faster to the Premier League if he had had a Michael Essien or N’Golo Kante alongside him. 

However it is a Chelsea workforce in need of expertise, save for Thiago Silva and Raheem Sterling, so he’s going to should be taught it himself.

The poor begin Chelsea made to the season would possibly rule them out of a top-four end however it could be nonsensical to desert the Pochettino mission.

I predict a really robust second half to the marketing campaign and for them to be critical Champions League contenders subsequent season, notably with Christopher Nkunku match up entrance. 

I’ve seen Chelsea stay and might see a particular sample of play rising. Sarcastically, they play higher towards the stronger sides, which augurs properly for the Metropolis conflict. It’s once they should attempt to break down groups in a low block, like Brentford, that they wrestle.

Pochettino has his 4-3-3 system and the flexibility of somebody like Cole Palmer is beneficial. His match intelligence is terrific. He can play in one of many ahead positions with Jackson and Sterling if it’s a recreation the place Chelsea could should chase possession a bit extra.

Towards the lesser groups, Palmer can drop right into a No 10 function and let Mykhailo Mudryk unfastened on the wing.

One of many privileges of my job within the media is assembly and speaking to the most effective managers. Pochettino left his mark on me. Chelsea are in secure, and educated, arms.