Ben Foster blown away by early impact of Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea
Wrexham goalkeeper Ben Foster was blown away by the impact Mauricio Pochettino has already had on his new-look Chelsea team. The veteran goalkeeper, who came out of retirement to aid the Welsh club’s fairytale promotion back to the Football League last season, featured in last night’s friendly game in North Carolina.
A team which featured new signing Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku and Andrey Santos had far too much for a Wrexham side who were subjected to a 5-0 thrashing.
Pochettino still hopes to make more signings and trim his squad of players he has deemed surplus to requirements but, according to Foster, the early signs are extremely encouraging.
Ben Foster Praises Mauricio Pochettino’s Impact
‘When they get the ball in the final third, wow,’ said the former England international. ‘Runners down the wing, players coming inside going outside, and there’s always taking the ball on the run. They’re either already running or they’re picking it and running with it so it just gets you on the back foot straight away and it’s good to see. There’s so much pace, they’re so sharp.’
Mauricio Pochettino Encouraged by Performance
Pochettino, meanwhile, was encouraged by what he saw from a team whose average age was only 19 but is keen to see further improvements as the standard of opposition improves.
‘Like always after a pre-season game, I’m happy because of the attitude,’ the Argentine coach explained after the win. ‘But, of course, it is time to improve. I think it is part of the process in this period to learn in the way we want to play and, of course, build the physical condition also. I am happy with the performance.
‘I think the most important thing now is to get positive feelings and to start to play again after the holidays. All the players came in at different levels and now it is about putting them all at similar levels to try to compete for the season.’
Conclusion
It’s clear that Mauricio Pochettino is already having a positive impact on Chelsea’s squad and that his style of play is already making an impression on those who have faced them. With more signings expected and further improvements likely, it looks like Chelsea could be set for a successful season under their new manager.
For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.