"No words in football" - Mauricio Pochettino provides update on communication with Chelsea owners after poor start to the season

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has offered some insight into what he's being told from the club's owners amid poor form. The Argentine manager insists that he continues to be backed by the London side's hierarchy.

Pochettino arrived at Stamford Bridge in the summer after being sacked by Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) last year. The Blues spent in excess of £400 million ahead of the current campaign, signing the likes of Cole Palmer, Christopher Nkunku, Romeo Lavia, and Moises Caicedo.

However, the west London outfit have struggled to turn their form around, having finished tenth in the Premier League table last term. This season, Chelsea find themselves 12th in the standings after just five wins in their first 15 games in the English top tier.

Despite a turbulent campaign, Pochettino remains convinced of the project he and the club's owners are trying to implement. Speaking ahead of Chelsea's upcoming clash against Sheffield United on Saturday (December 16), he said (via The Guardian):

“The communication is the same from the beginning of the season. But no words in football. If I am here it is because they trust. The moment that they stop to trust, don’t worry, you will see not me here.”

The former Tottenham Hotspur manager added:

“The project is clear. All the input we received from the beginning is trust in the work we are doing. Of course, you can spend money. If you want to buy a house, you buy a house. But if you want to build a house, you need to take some risks. We need more time."

The Blues certainly have their work cut out for this season and they sit 14 points behind fourth-placed Manchester City.

“Monday we will know more" - Mauricio Pochettino offers update on injured Chelsea star

During the press conference, Pochettino also addressed Chelsea captain Reece James' injury. The Argentine manager stated that surgery for the England international has not been ruled out.

James has struggled with hamstring issues for a while now. The English full-back missed seven games for the Blues during the 2022-23 campaign due to a hamstring injury.

He was also sidelined for the start of the current season owing to the same issue, missing nearly three months of action. James' injury once again resurfaced during Chelsea's 2-0 loss to Everton last Sunday (December 10).

Pochettino has now revealed that the decision for surgery will be taken by Monday (December 18). He said (via Fabrizio Romano):

“I can confirm that surgery has not been ruled out yet. Monday we will know. Monday we will know more about how we will proceed, about whether it is necessary or not."