Mauricio Pochettino Sets Definitive Deadline for Announcing New Chelsea Captain
Mauricio Pochettino establishes a deadline for the selection of a new Chelsea captain.
Mauricio Pochettino is tasked with selecting Chelsea’s new captain prior to the upcoming season. Since Gary Cahill’s departure in 2019, Cesar Azpilicueta has worn the captain’s armband for Chelsea.
After the Spaniard’s transfer to Atletico Madrid earlier this summer, Chelsea’s captaincy is up for grabs, and supporters believe there are a few obvious candidates.
However, Poch remains silent about the circumstance. The Argentine tactician stated, via Football.London, prior to tomorrow’s Premier League Summer Series match against Brighton & Hove Albion in the United States: “We have a lot of work to do.”
Mauricio Pochettino has not yet named a new captain for Chelsea.
“I won’t name a captain until Liverpool [Premier League opener]. I need to see the reaction, how they react on and off the pitch. It is time to assess everyone.”
This week, Trevoh Chalobah led Chelsea to a 5-0 Florida Cup final victory over Wrexham. That revealed nothing, as there is no possibility he will lead the team permanently just yet.
Who follows?
In truth, it is currently unclear whether he is a starter on Poch’s team. Even after Wesley Fofana’s ACL injury, two of Thiago Silva, Benoit Badiashile, and Levi Colwill are likely to start in a four-man defense.
This is not intended to undermine Chalobah’s development. The Englishman is on track to achieve Premier League stardom. However, it would make much more sense to give the insignia to a more experienced player at this time.
🗣 "I need to see the reaction, how they behave, how they act, not only on the pitch but off the pitch."
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) July 21, 2023
Mauricio Pochettino reveals he has not yet decided who will be his captain at Chelsea pic.twitter.com/ljhyg5GtTQ
Thiago Silva (38) would be located at one extremity of this scale. Reece James (23) would be on the opposite side. Raheem Sterling (28) is also a viable candidate, but the two names mentioned before him have been in the running for longer.
In these circumstances, it makes even more logic to appoint a defender or a central midfielder as captain. They spend the majority of the game with the ball in front of them so they can better see and command their companions. Obviously, this does not imply that assailants cannot or should not be captains.
But there is a reason why defenders and central midfielders are managers’ first choices when searching for a designated leader. Enzo Fernandez would be an unexpected selection, but we cannot rule him out just yet.
Mauricio Pochettino Sets Definitive Deadline for Announcing New Chelsea Captain
