“I am not killing anyone” - Mauricio Pochettino expresses disappointment with Chelsea draw vs Burnley
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has revealed that he is disappointed at his side's performance as they played out a 2-2 draw at home to Burnley. The Blues let their lead slip twice against ten-man Clarets to end up with just one point on home soil.
The Blues were looking to build on their FA Cup win over Leicester City last time out and move into the top half of the table as the season nears its conclusion. They were up against a Burnley side that were five points from safety before a ball was kicked.
Mauricio Pochettino's side went ahead twice but saw their opponents equalise both times to escape with a hugely valuable point. The Blues' manager was unimpressed by his side's failure to hold onto the lead in front of their fans despite the visitors going down to ten men.
Speaking to the media after the match, the former Tottenham Hotspur manager expressed his disappointment at his side's defensive woes. The manager revealed that he does not blame any individuals for the problem, but the whole team, including himself.
"In the defensive phase, we conceded too much. It is more about being strong as a team."
"Sorry, but I am not happy with the performance when we don't have the ball."
"I am not killing anyone, we are part of the problem (all of us). I am not blaming anyone."
Pochettino's side have been suspect defensively this season, conceding 47 goals in the Premier League, as many as they did in the whole of last season. Chelsea have now amassed 40 points and remain in the bottom half of the table.
Chelsea struggles evident in draw against ten-man Burnley
What should have been a straightforward win for Chelsea against Burnley was turned into an unnecessarily tense affair by the Blues. They failed where most have succeeded this season as Burnley overcame two red cards to claim a draw against them.
Axel Disasi had a goal chalked off by VAR, before Lorenz Assignon saw red for the visitors after receiving a second yellow for a foul in the box. Cole Palmer stepped up to coolly dispatch the penalty, giving his side the lead just before halftime.
Due to his protests following the awarding of the penalty, Burnley manager Vincent Kompany also saw red, with Craig Bellamy taking charge of the rest of the game. Josh Cullen equalised for the Clarets against the run of play with an excellent shot at the start of the second half.
Chelsea retook the lead when Palmer doubled his tally for the game with a fine finish following impressive approach play. Goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, however, had a moment to forget as he allowed a Dara O'Shea header squirm through his gloves for a second Burnley equaliser.
The Clarets came close to nicking it in the closing stages as Jay Rodriguez saw a header come back off the woodwork before blazing the rebound over.