Izuchukwu OkosiChelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino was livid with the performance of his team on Saturday evening as Newcastle United romped to a 4-1 win at St James’ Park.
Chelsea paid the price for some defensive errors which also saw them end the game with ten men after a second yellow card to Reece James while Marc Cucurella who was handed his fifth yellow card of the season will miss next weekend’s game against his former side Brighton and Hoves Albion.
The visitors were level at half-time through a Raheem Sterling powerful long range strike from a free kick after Alexander Isak had put the Toons ahead but capitulated in the second half with further goals from Jamaal Lascelles, Joelinton and Anthony Gordon.
Pochettino who watched proceedings from the stands as he served a one-match touchline ban spoke to the media Saturday evening in his post match press conference.
“We didn’t show that we were playing for something important,” an angry and disappointed Pochettino admitted.
“Even if Newcastle weren’t great, it was an easy win for them to prepare for the Champions League. We had to show that it’s going to be difficult for them to play, to win the game and to beat us.
“But it was really easy in the way that we conceded and the way that we were so soft in every single challenge.
“That’s what makes me angry and disappointed. We talk about being a young team and we have to learn, but I think these type of games make me very, very, very, very, very angry because it’s about showing your personality and character,” the former Tottenham Hotspur and PSG manager said ruefully.
“OK, we are young as a team, but we cannot lose this type of opportunity to show our best.”
A fifth loss of the campaign leaves Chelsea in 10th and already facing a battle to qualify for the Champions League, with Tottenham 10 points ahead in fourth.
“It was our worst game of the season. It was tough to be in the stands,” added Pochettino.
“We cannot complain about the result, we did not read the game from the beginning.
“We cannot blame the players, it is the team together. We need to understand the level we need to compete, and learn about this situation.
“There are many details, many things that build confidence and strength. We already know what is going on, and we will try to change the dynamic,” the Argentine coach stressed.
Newcastle United will face Paris Saint-Germain on Matchday 5 of the competition
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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