Mauricio Pochettino and Chelsea were held at home by 10-man Burnley (Picture: Getty)
Mauricio Pochettino admitted Chelsea need to ‘improve in many areas’ after watching his side surrender the lead on two occasions in a disappointing 2-2 draw against Burnley.
Speaking ahead of the game, Pochettino insisted the data he has been supplied with by the club’s analysts indicated his young Chelsea team were worthy of a top four place.
After another dispiriting result, however, the Blues are languishing in mid-table, a mammoth 17 points adrift of the Champions League qualifying pace.
The Blues had looked on course for a comfortable afternoon when Cole Palmer put his side ahead with a 41st minute penalty after Lorenz Assignon had harshly given a second yellow card.
Josh Cullen stunned Stamford Bridge with a superb equaliser shortly after the interval, but Palmer’s second of the game, appeared to have settled the contest.
Chelsea’s brittle confidence was in evidence again, however, when Djordje Petrovic allowed Dara O’Shea’s header to squirm through his hands and into the net for a soft leveller.
A dejected Pochettino was annoyed with the fragility his side displayed and conceded his team are at their most vulnerable when in the lead.
Cole Palmer scored twice in Chelsea’s disappointing draw against Burnley (Picture: Getty)
Djordje Petrovic was at fault for Burnley’s equaliser (Picture: Getty)
‘So disappointed,’ he said. ‘We didn’t show the consistency and the capacity to deal with and manage the game. We allowed them some actions from set pieces to get some possibility to believe.
‘It is a result that shows that we need to improve in many areas if we want to be competitive.
‘It was so easy for them to get to our last third. We were not aggressive enough in open play and defending set pieces. We need to improve like a team and be more competitive.
‘The team is a little nervous when winning 1-0. It is not only about to work, it is about to evolve and develop some areas in our team to deal better with this type of situation.’
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On the controversial incident that saw his side take the lead and also resulted in a sending off for Burnley boss Vincent Kompany, Pochettino added: ‘I don’t know what is going on there.
‘I think it was a penalty and a second yellow card. I can understand their frustration but it is football.
‘VAR disallowed a goal for Disasi but we are not going to complain. We understand the VAR decision and accept the rules.’
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