Can Mauricio Pochettino lead Chelsea to Champions League football next season?

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is backing his side to finish in a European spot at the end of the season despite a shaky start to their campaign.

The Argentine manager was adamant they could do it in his pre-match press conference today ahead of their Sunday clash with Bournemouth.

The Blues began their season with a promising 1-1 draw with Liverpool before losing to West Ham United.

They recorded a victory over Luton Town but lost again to Nottingham Forest in their last game before the international break.

Despite the uneven start, Pochettino believes his side has shown massive improvements from last season and will soon start collecting the points they deserve for their showings.

It is hard to disagree with the Chelsea manager that they have improved since last season. 

They dominated Liverpool but couldn’t land the knockout blow for the win.

Chelsea went down early against West Ham but got back in the game through Carney Chukwuemeka’s effort.

However, Chukwuemeka subsequently suffered an injury, causing a shift in momentum. 

It did not help that midfield maestro Enzo Fernandez missed a glorious chance to give Chelsea the lead from the penalty spot.

They eventually lost the game, but there were plenty of positives to take home. They recorded consecutive wins against Luton and AFC Wimbledon in the League Cup before an embarrassing loss to Forest.

The Forest loss looks dire, but Chelsea created enough chances to seal a victory at Stamford Bridge.

They paid for their lack of clinical finishing, which has plagued the club for years. Chelsa’s new striker, Nicolas Jackson, has looked bright early on but is wasteful in front of goal.

Jackson has already missed six big chances for Chelsea in the Premier League, but Pochettino has backed him to find his shooting boots, praising his overall play.

If he can find that clinical edge, Chelsea should be able to earn a European spot by Matchday 38.

Chelsea have also been dealing with injury problems that have ruled crucial players out of action. They currently have nine players on the sidelines.

Summer signing Christopher Nkunku was meant to spearhead Chelsea’s attack this season but is out of action until January. 

Captain Reece James continues his battles with injury problems while Chukwuemeka is also on the treatment table.

If Chelsea can recover these stars early and have them fit and firing, Pochettino can galvanise a top-four finish out of his squad.

They are creating chances, dominating possession and looking tactically organised. They only need to fine-tune their finishing and have luck with injuries to kick into gear.