Mauricio Pochettino faced another disappointing outcome with his Chelsea team as they drew 2-2 against Brentford at the G-tech Stadium on Saturday. The unfavorable result seemed to stem from some questionable decisions made by the Blues’ manager before the match. These decisions are outlined below.
1. Repositioning Jackson as a Striker
Chelsea had performed admirably in previous matches with Nicholas Jackson operating as a winger and Cole Palmer as a number 9. However, against Brentford, a team known for their lively defensive line, Pochettino reverted the change and placed Jackson in the striking position. This adjustment rendered the attacking line predictable and weakened, despite Jackson managing to score.
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2. Utilizing Chilwell as a Winger
Deploying Chilwell as a winger against Brentford proved to be another misjudgment by Pochettino. The defender found himself isolated in the game, resulting in an inactive left wing. This decision restricted Chelsea’s attacking options to only the right wing and added to the workload for Palmer.
3. Abandoning the 3-4-3 Formation
Despite the success of the 3-4-3 formation in giving Chelsea a formidable challenge against Liverpool in the EFL Cup final, Pochettino opted not to retain it for the Brentford match. Instead, he started with the 4-2-3-1 strategy, which is more susceptible to counteraction by opposing teams. This decision also played a role in influencing the outcome of the game.