Mauricio Pochettino believes plenty of stats back what he is doing at Chelsea (Picture: Getty Images)
Chelsea should be in the top four if you look at the data, reckons Mauricio Pochettino, who feels that statistics prove they are doing a lot of good things.
The Blues are very much not in the top four, sitting 11th in the Premier League and 17 points adrift of fourth-placed Aston Villa.
Pochettino believes there is data that shows things are not as bad as they seem, though, in fact Chelsea could easily be flying high.
‘Today in football we are talking about new technology and data,’ Pochettino told a press conference on Friday. ‘If you look at all the parameters that are used on radio, TV and in newspapers we should be in the top four.
‘But for different reasons we are not there because you can shoot 20 times and if you don’t score and – like against Leicester – you receive only one shot on target and let in two goals, that is football.
‘What does all the data mean? That we are in a good way. And the ways in which we need to improve are the small details that you can only get in time with experience playing together.
‘It is easy to find the data when you want to kill someone but also, when the data is good and reflects that the team is doing well but, for different reasons, is not getting the results it deserves you have to trust in the process.’
Cole Palmer and Conor Gallagher have been two of Chelsea’s standout players this season (Picture: Getty Images)
The Argentine did not point out any data in particlar, but there is some information that does back up his claim.
The west London club are top of the Premier League in terms of creating quality chances, according to Opta, with their xG per shot taken at 0.142, the highest in the league.
The Blues are also fourth on expected goal difference at 0.36, only behind Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool.
Chelsea will look to improve their record when they host Burnley on Saturday afternoon, a team that Pochettino expects to provide a tough test.
‘They are a team that plays with freedom, they run a lot, and are a very physical team with good, young players,’ he said.
‘It’s always going to be tough. For us, we need to be in a different place [in the Premier League] and we need to win and perform well. In the Premier League, you’re never going to find an easy game – and Burnley are a good team, an exciting team to watch. It’s going to be difficult.’
MORE : Burnley manager Vincent Kompany insists Chelsea will soon improve as ‘great prospects’ bed in
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