Chelseaboss MauricioPochettinosaid he never lost faith in his talentedyoungplayers and that it was important they be given timetoadapttothe Premier League after his side picked up their second win of the season by beating Fulham 2-0 on Monday.
Ukrainian winger Mykhailo Mudryk, who cost an initial 70 million euros ($75.78 million) in transfer fees in January, scored his first goal for the club, with striker Armando Broja also netting for the first time since his return from a serious knee injury.
“We needtounderstand thatyoungpeople need time and needtosettle. It’s about adaptation,”Pochettinosaid.
“It’s a big change when Mudryk arrived here, and when you arrive at a team, it’s not easytosettle in a team that isn’t solid.
“It’s about time, havingpatience, trusting theseyoungtalented players, building confidence. It’s a big job, step by step.”
Mudryk was withdrawn at half-time on Monday andPochettinosaid he hoped the 22-year-old would be available for Saturday’s game against promoted Burnley.
Chelseaare 11th in the table after taking only eight points from seven matches butPochettinosaid they never pressed the panic button when results were not going their way.
“Sometimes people don’t have thepatiencebut for us it’s about having thepatience,” he added. “Even when we weren’t winning, we were calm, stayed positive, had the belief.”
(Published 03 October 2023, 03:38 IST)