MAURICIO Pochettino is demanding his young Chelsea team do not allow their heads to drop when things start to go against them on the pitch.
Despite a decent first-half display which they were yet again unable to make the most of, the Blues’ poor home form continued on Saturday when Brentford sealed a 2-0 triumph thanks to second-half goals from Ethan Pinnock and Bryan Mbuemo.
That made it three consecutive wins at the Bridge for the Bees and made it the 15th time this calendar year Chelsea had failed to taste victory on their own patch.
The understandable frustration from the home fans was palpable once Pinnock’s header broke the deadlock in the 58th minute and Poch wants his players not to pick up on any negativity.
“It‘s not easy to build that trust, to be mature and accept sometimes the game goes in a direction you don’t want,” the Chelsea boss said.
“You need to be calm in these moments and have the courage to keep playing the way you should.
“But you need time because although too many things are wrong, it’s about maturity.
“It’s not about the fans, the club, the badge. It’s about this team being young.
“We have to match the level to always be competitive and at our best.
“With the squad all fit – and that’s not an excuse – this team will grow.”
Chelsea’s poor record in SW6 goes back to Graham Potter and Frank Lampard’s spells in charge, but it isn’t something Pochettino has been able to correct yet.
So far only Luton Town have been beaten in the Premier League at home and Poch admits he is still trying to fix the ongoing problem.
He said: “I don’t know because we have tried to identify that (the cause).
“But it’s not only happened from the beginning of this season, it’s also from last season with different coaches.
“Yes, it’s something we need to fix.
“I don’t say I’m worried but we’re trying hard to find the solution.
“The key is to create a good atmosphere – you need to have the right feeling with the fans and the team.”
Pochettino added: “The team needs to translate the ideas the fans can trust and it goes both ways.
“But that can only be done with time and by playing more because we are still so young as a team.”
One young player who continues to impress despite the continued poor home record is 21-year-old midfielder Cole Palmer.
Palmer may only have signed this summer from Manchester City, but Poch says it almost feels like he has been at the club for ever.
The Argentine said: “We’re happy in the way he arrived in the last moment of the transfer window and he’s playing like he’s here for 10 years.
“He’s showing great performances, character and personality.
“You create expectation when you sign a player, but I cannot say I expected this.
“If I do, I’m lying. From day one, when he started to train you could see the talent.”
