"We haven’t played to the level we expect of ourselves" - Chelsea star vows to arrest the slump after 2022 FIFA World Cup
Chelsea star Mason Mount has insisted that his team will bounce back from their slow start to the season after the FIFA World Cup.
The Blues' latest defeat came against Newcastle United, which leaves Graham Potter's side eighth in the Premier League. They also lie eight points behind London rivals Tottenham in their quest to finish inside the top four, having failed to win any of their previous five matches.
Potter, who started life at Stamford Bridge in excellent fashion, has come under criticism for the team's poor recent run, with the club spending a lot in the summer.
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Chelsea will now enjoy a six-week break due to the FIFA World Cup and Mount has insisted that his teammates will perform better as a team after the break.
The 23-year-old posted on his Instagram page:
"We haven’t played to the level we expect of ourselves as Chelsea. You all deserve more from us. When we’re back from the World Cup, we are getting straight back to it and pushing ourselves to a higher level. We have the best fans in the country and we will make you proud this season. MM"
Mount himself has struggled for form this season, scoring just twice in 21 appearances, with both goals coming in the same game against Aston Villa.
Graham Potter claims Chelsea need to 're-energise' during FIFA World Cup
A large portion of Chelsea's squad will now be heading to the FIFA World Cup, but the break has come at a good time for the squad.
Speaking after the 1-0 defeat at St. James' Park, Potter stressed on the need for his team to reset mentally and physically after the break, as he told reporters (as per The Mail):
"For different reasons, you have 13 matches in six weeks, a lot of those games away from home. It is what it is and it has been challenging. We have a break now and we need to re-energise.
"For us in terms of what we've had with an incredibly intense period, it is what it is. We need to take the positives. A lot of the boys will be away but we can get away, regroup and go again when we come back."
On the defeat in Newcastle, he added:
"It was a tough game for us. Losing Ruben (Loftus-Cheek) and Azpi (Cesar Azpilicueta at half-time.
"You can see in the two teams the different schedules. Newcastle have one game a week and we have a tough schedule. That showed. But there were also too many unforced errors. We got through a few times but we didn't have enough quality."
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Chelsea, who have 21 points from 14 games, will have a lot of catch-ups to do after the break.