Chelsea’s Yellow Card Loss Lamented by Pochettino, Embracing Hope in Green Lemons

Mauricio Pochettino advises Nicolas Jackson to control his emotions and avoid receiving yellow cards for arguing with referees. The Chelsea striker is currently only one booking away from a one-match suspension.

Despite showing promise since his £32m move to Chelsea in June, Jackson has struggled to maintain composure and has already been booked four times in six matches. Pochettino has cautioned him about his behavior, as each caution was a result of verbal confrontation with officials.

This is a concern for Chelsea’s head coach, especially considering the lack of depth in their attack. With Armando Broja still recovering from a long-term knee injury, losing Jackson to suspension would be detrimental to the team.

In Pochettino’s words, “A striker, receiving four yellow cards just for arguing with the referee? He needs to receive yellow cards for different actions, not for that. It’s easy to get cheap yellow cards, but it puts the team in a difficult position. He needs to learn and improve his discipline.”

Currently positioned 14th in the league, Chelsea lacks ruthlessness in front of goal, having only scored five goals so far. They are considering signing a striker in January, with Brentford’s Ivan Toney on their radar.

Pochettino defended his decision not to sign an experienced No. 9 during the summer transfer window and expressed his primary concern over Chelsea’s extensive injury list, which could leave them without 11 players against Aston Villa.

Despite the challenges, Pochettino remains positive about his team’s performances and believes in the power of positive energy. He keeps a bowl of lemons in his office to absorb negative energy, a practice he also followed during his time at Tottenham. When asked when Chelsea will start reaping the benefits, he said, “They started to work after two years at Tottenham. Give time to the lemons. They are not magic, but I still believe in them.”