Pochettino CAN'T blame his predecessors for poor atmosphere at Stamford Bridge
Mail Sport's Football Editor Ian Ladyman has insisted that Mauricio Pochettino is to blame for flat atmosphere at Stamford Bridge this season - rather than his Chelsea predecessors - on It's All Kicking Off.
The Argentine manager was incensed by a comment made by former Chelsea player Pat Nevin about the lacklustre vibe in west London ahead of the club's Carabao Cup semi-final against Middlesbrough.
The Blues icon compared Stamford Bridge to a 'mausoleum', but Pochettino suggested that the club were in a way 'paying now (for) the effect of 18 months'.
Chelsea endured a torrid 2022-23 season which saw four separate managers in the dugout including Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter, but despite feeling a more stable outfit under Pochettino, are yet to recapture the blistering form which saw them sit firmly amongst the English top flight's 'Big Six'.
But rather than look to the past, Ladyman was quick to suggest on Thursday's edition of Mail Sport's podcast that the limp atmosphere in west London was reflective of Chelsea's current form under the head coach himself.
'If Chelsea fans are going to Stanford Bridge and don't sound like they're up for it, and don't sound like they're enjoying it, and aren't making any noise, and any noise they make is the wrong type of noise, that's from Pochettino and his players,' Ladyman told his co-host Chris Sutton.
'That's nothing to do with Graham Potter and Thomas Tuchel.'
Sutton however placed the onus more firmly with Chelsea's new ownership, fronted by co-controlling owner Todd Boehly.
The May 2022 takeover - following the rushed sale of the club by sanctioned Russian petrochemicals billionaire Roman Abramovich - has been seen as a major turning-point in the club's recent history.
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