Mauricio Pochettino (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)Mauricio Pochettino has pleaded for more time as he scrambles for solutions to Chelsea’s mounting crisis.
But how patient will the owners be?The Blues, European champions only two years ago, are a lowly 14th in the Premier League table, just four points above the relegation zone, after one win in their first six matches.Their latest setback was a 1-0 defeat against Aston Villa on Sunday, with Ollie Watkins scoring the winner after the dismissal of Chelsea defender Malo Gusto.Last year, Chelsea mustered their lowest points tally of the Premier League era but they have made an even more dire start to the current campaign.“Give me time,” Pochettino pleaded after Sunday’s match, urging the club’s American owners to back him.“They (the owners) are disappointed, they arrived at the club and are so excited to build a project.“Of course they feel disappointed but at the same time they need to support the plan.”Pochettino was confirmed as the new man in the Stamford Bridge hot seat in May — becoming the third permanent boss since Todd Boehly’s consortium bought the west London club from Roman Abramovich in 2022.Chelsea hailed the Argentine as a “winning coach, who has worked at the highest levels”.Boehly backed his manager by bankrolling another huge spending spree during the summer transfer window, taking Chelsea’s outlay on new players in just over a year beyond £1 billion ($1.2 billion).But the return on their investment has been pitiful during a period of churn and upheaval on and off the pitch.– Goal-shy Chelsea – Chelsea have mustered just five goals in their first six league matches — and three of those came in the 3-0 win against newly promoted Luton.They have failed to