Mauricio Pochettino has said that Chelsea are aiming to win the Carabao Cup this season, ahead of Wednesday night’s clash with Brighton.
Chelsea have endured a disappointing start to the new campaign with Pochettino under pressure after just one win from six games so far this season. The west Londoners lost 1-0 at home to Aston Villa on Sunday, a result which extended the club’s goalless run to three league games.
Chelsea’s poor form comes despite more than £1bn having been spent on new players across the last three transfer windows, with Pochettino now tasked with delivering results on that record-breaking investment.
Despite the club’s recent results, Pochettino said Chelsea are targeting success in the Carabao Cup ahead of Brighton’s visit to Stamford Bridge.
“It is one of our objectives in this season. We need to think this is one opportunity to win a trophy,” Pochettino said at his pre-match press conference.
“Maybe the feelings after the defeat on Sunday are not the best but I feel it is about to move on to get the players the confidence and the trust.
“It is a different competition and we need to change our mood. Yesterday and today we were talking a lot – trying to breathe more confidence into the team – and I think we are going to be ready for tomorrow.”
Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali is understood to have gone into the dressing room to speak with the players after the defeat to Villa at the weekend, but Pochettino insists he has no problem with involvement from the board.
“I like when the owner comes [into the dressing room]. In all my career as a coach – at Espanyol, then Southampton, Tottenham, Paris St-Germain also. I think it is good that the owner comes into the dressing room. It is the way that they approach the players that is most important.
“If they are in a good way and an encouraging way then I think they are very welcome.
“After the game on Sunday they came and shared [time] with us like normal. They also did for Liverpool, in the first [Premier League] game, then Luton, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa.
“I don’t see in a bad way. For me it is good always if they share with us [the coaching staff] than can say hello to the players.
“The difference is if they came for some speech or different things then maybe that is different.
“In the way they came, of course they are very welcome. They own the club, they can do whatever they want, but I think they come in a very good way and I am so glad they came and they shared time with us.
“When it is good and we have won the game – perfect – but also, like happened on Sunday, when we didn’t win, to share when we are suffering also.”
