
Mauricio Pochettino wants Chelsea fans to ‘believe and show trust’ in his side
Mauricio Pochettino called for Chelsea’s fans to believe and show trust in his side after Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Brentford left them in the bottom half of the Premier League table. The Stamford Bridge crowd booed Chelsea off at full-time against the Bees after a third home defeat piled pressure on Pochettino. The Chelsea boss understands the supporters’ frustration and suggested other reasons behind their inconsistent performances. Speaking ahead of Chelsea’s Carabao Cup last-16 clash against Blackburn on Wednesday, Pochettino said: “I think they need to be with us and I know it’s difficult to keep your feelings and it’s normal. “The fans want to win and are frustrated and they show emotion but the message is to believe and to show trust in us and for sure it’s about the process of trusting and believing. “There are so many details, what has happened (which contributed to Chelsea’s form) and you always need some luck. “One of the situations that happened is the injury of Christopher Nkunku – he is a player we signed with an objective to provide the team and to help put us in a different position. “In some games we created chances and did not score, we did not get what we deserved. I think we deserve more if we talk about our performance. We need to be more aggressive. “In the last game we created chances and we were better than Brentford who blocked very low. “It’s not enough and we need to criticise ourselves at the moment.” The message is to believe and to show trust in us Mauricio Pochettino A Carabao Cup trophy would soften the blow of Chelsea’s poor start to the 2023-24 campaign. Pochettino highlighted the importance of both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup and insisted that he will field a strong team in a bid to advance to the quarter-finals. He added: “It’s really important. The FA Cup and the Carabao Cup are really important for us and tomorrow (against Blackburn) we will play with our best team, some players need a rest after Saturday’s game so we cannot take risks.” Reece James has come off the bench in recent weeks as part of his recovery from a hamstring injury he sustained in August. And Pochettino confirmed the Blues skipper will start at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. He said: “I can confirm he is going to start. The captain is ready, which is good for the team and good for him to start from the beginning of the game and we will check on him and see how he’ll perform.” Read More Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior signs new contract until 2027 Dawid Malan shifts blame away from England head coach Matthew Mott Captain Siya Kolisi says Springboks’ World Cup win was ‘for every South African’ Warren Gatland backs Andy Farrell to be next British and Irish Lions head coach England wing Jonny May announces his retirement from Test rugby Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova joins in with criticism of WTA Finals
2023-10-31 22:54

Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior signs new contract until 2027
Brazil forward Vinicius Junior has agreed a new contract extension with Real Madrid until the summer of 2027. Vinicius’ previous contract was set to expire in 2024, and it has been reported an updated deal – said to include a 1billion euro (£873,500m) release clause – had been agreed for some time before being made public. In a video clip on Real’s social media, Vinicius said: “Hello Madrid fans, I am very happy to renew my contract. It is a dream for me. “I hope I can continue here for many years, scoring many goals and winning many titles. Thank you very much for the love. Hala Madrid!” A short statement on the club’s official website read: “Real Madrid and Vini Jr have agreed to extend the player’s contract, which remains linked to the club until June 30, 2027.” After starting his career with Flamengo, Vinicius, 23, joined Real as an 18-year-old and has gone on to make 235 first-team appearances, scoring 63 goals. Vinicius has won the LaLiga title twice as well as the Champions League in 2022, with his goal securing a 1-0 win over Liverpool in Paris. At Monday night’s Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris, Vinicius was presented with the Socrates Award for his work to fight social inequality in Brazil and the ongoing battle against racism. Following defeat in El Clasico, reports emerged some Barcelona supporters had directed racist abuse towards the Real forward. Speaking about the ongoing issues when accepting his award, Vinicius said: “It’s boring to have to talk about racism all the time, but it’s an important thing and I will talk about it as often as I have to. “To have people abuse me at different stadiums is sad. I hope things can change, they are getting better. “(But) LaLiga, UEFA and FIFA can do more to make sure these people are not here among us.” Read More Dawid Malan shifts blame away from England head coach Matthew Mott Captain Siya Kolisi says Springboks’ World Cup win was ‘for every South African’ Warren Gatland backs Andy Farrell to be next British and Irish Lions head coach England wing Jonny May announces his retirement from Test rugby Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova joins in with criticism of WTA Finals On this day in 2011: Graham Henry steps down as New Zealand coach
2023-10-31 22:54

How many teams are in the 2023 College Football Playoff?
How many teams will make the College Football Playoff for the 2023 season? Find out here!
2023-10-31 22:47

Davante Adams, Josh Jacobs chose violence against Josh McDaniels with fiery postgame comments
Frustrated Las Vegas Raiders stars could have gone quietly into the night, but instead put their head coach on notice.
2023-10-31 22:25

Projected 76ers lineup after anti-climactic James Harden trade
The 76ers traded James Harden to the Clippers in a trade that seemed long overdue. What does the Philly lineup look like after the trade?
2023-10-31 22:24

Fantasy Football Week 9: Start 'Em, Sit 'Em
Breaking down the top start 'em, sit 'em options for Week 9 of the fantasy football season.
2023-10-31 22:15

Vinicius Junior signs new long-term contract at Real Madrid
Vinicius Junior signs new long-term contract at Real Madrid. committing his future to the club until 2027.
2023-10-31 21:55

Soccer-Too daunting to take on Saudis in 2034 World Cup bid, says Football Australia CEO
By Christian Radnedge LONDON Australia would have found it difficult to compete with Saudi Arabia's bid to host
2023-10-31 21:50

Projected Clippers starting lineup after Harden trade
After weeks of negotiations, the Clippers finally traded for James Harden. What will the depth chart and starting lineup look like with the new addition?
2023-10-31 21:50

AFC Bournemouth vs. Liverpool live stream, schedule preview: Watch EFL Cup online
Liverpool have won the EFL Cup once under Jurgen Klopp and they travel to AFC Bournemouth in the Round of 16 on Wednesday.
2023-10-31 21:30

Ipswich Town vs. Fulham live stream, schedule preview: Watch EFL Cup online
Ipswich Town who are flying high in the Championship take on Fulham of the Premier League in the EFL Cup Round of 16.
2023-10-31 21:30

Chelsea vs. Blackburn Rovers live stream, schedule preview: Watch EFL Cup online
Five-time winners of the EFL Cup, Chelsea, take on Blackburn Rovers who have won the competition once, in the Round of 16 on Wednesday.
2023-10-31 21:26