Mauricio Pochettino reveals who is to blame for poor Stamford Bridge atmosphere

Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino has insisted the club's results during the 2022/23 season are to blame for the volatile atmosphere at Stamford Bridge this year.

The Blues' first season under the ownership of BlueCo proved disastrous, entering the campaign as FIFA Club World Champions but finishing 12th in the Premier League, scoring only 38 goals in 38 games and picking up 44 points.

Thomas Tuchel, who led Chelsea to Champions League glory in 2021, was dismissed early in the season and replaced by Graham Potter, who oversaw a poor run of results before himself losing the job. Frank Lampard returned as caretaker manager in April but won just one of his 11 games in charge.

Chelsea have largely continued to struggle under Pochettino, but they have at least gone unbeaten in their last eight home games. Ahead of Tuesday's Carabao Cup semi-final second leg with Championship side Middlesbrough, the Argentine admitted he is trying to stem the tide after a horrendous period in the club's history.

«We are paying now the effect of 18 months. We have been here for six months and ­sometimes for us it is difficult to ­compare. We are getting better results now. But the disappointment for the fans is from last season. It is a disappointment for a long period. But in how we feel, Stamford Bridge is very good,» Pochettino said.

«In a few periods in some games, like Brentford or Nottingham Forest, the energy was really down because the team didn't engage the fans. That is our mistake. But in the rest of the games — Arsenal, Man City, Brighton, Liverpool — I think the fans were really good.

»If tomorrow we play well from the beginning and show the right ­attitude the fans are going to be behind us. We have very good fans. They want to