Mauricio Pochettino brutally punishes Chelsea flops for ill-discipline with Blues dirtiest team in Premier League
MAURICIO POCHETTINO forced his card-happy squad to watch video reruns of their needless bookings.
Chelsea are the most unruly team in the Premier League with 47 yellows and one red card this season.
GettyMauricio Pochettino called on his Chelsea stars to wise up[/caption]
GettyNicolas Jackson has regularly been booked for dissent[/caption]
The majority are for dissent, gesturing to get opponents in trouble or cynical acts to delay play like kicking the ball away – and boss Pochettino says it must stop.
He said: “Today we were talking in the meeting and we showed the clips of the yellow cards. There are too many because they changed the rules this season.
“We need to be clever. You upset a player, you get a yellow card, and then later in the game, you can receive another yellow. We receive too many like this.
“We were talking about Nicolas Jackson, the yellow cards from complaining to the referee.
“An opponent makes a foul and doesn’t receive a yellow card. You complain and say “why is that not a yellow card?” And it’s “Oh, yellow card for you.
“We need to be clever and improve in this area. We cannot be silly to keep repeating the same mistakes.”
Striker Jackson has served a ban this season for picking up five bookings – all for dissent or trying to get opponents booked themselves which is now considered an offence. Even now he has as many cards as goals – seven.
Petulant defender Benoit Badiashile was cautioned in Sunday’s 3-2 win against Brighton for kicking the ball away at a free kick.
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Chelsea captain Reece James is back from his second suspension in just two months for the game at Manchester United.
The skipper copped a ban for abusing officials after a game in which he didn’t play – the home defeat to Aston Villa in September.
Refs have tightened up on time wasting, harassing officials and whingeing this season and Chelsea are struggling to adapt with a young squad containing many new imports to English football.
Pochettino said: “It’s difficult to understand this rule but now referees want to apply it. When we play football, if you make a foul, and the opponent comes to take the ball you touch it quickly. It’s difficult to change.”
Chelsea’s new boss is trying to change the culture of misdemeanours in his players but is trying to get back the old philosophy of win at all costs from within Stamford Bridge.
Sunday’s 10-man victory over Brighton was a start.
Pochettino said: “We want to build something; a project. The culture of Chelsea is about winning. Is it different to the past? Of course.
“A different way to approach things? Of course. Because it’s a different view. To be at the same level in the past, but the culture of Chelsea is about to win.”
Wednesday night will mark a four year reunion for Pochettino and Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag.
Pochettino was boss of Tottenham and Ten Hag in charge of Ajax when Spurs tipped the Dutch side out of the Champions League semi final with a stunning second half hat-trick from Lucas Moura.
Pochettino said: “One of my best nights in football. For sure it was tough for him. But we all move on. For sure he has moved on and he is at a great club now. It’s going to be nice to meet him.”
ReutersPochettino will reunite with Erik ten Hag[/caption]
