Pochettino Revival: Marc Cucurella Career Resurrected
Mauricio Pochettino’s most recent tactical change has saved Marc Cucurella’s Chelsea career.
Cucurella signed for the Blues in the summer of 2021 for a whopping £60 million.
The Spaniard had only been at Brighton for one season before leaving, but he was named the club’s Player of the Season.
Furthermore, the Blues had to pay a premium to secure his services ahead of Manchester City.
According to reports, City manager Pep Guardiola wanted Cucurella to be the long-term solution at left-back.
However, it appeared that Chelsea had squandered money on the 25-year-old until the last few games under Pochettino.
has struggled under various managers, including Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Frank Lampard, and Mauricio Pochettino.
Cucurella was asked to play as a wing-back and a wide centre-back at Stamford Bridge, despite his usual position as a traditional left-back.
But the former Barcelona player never looked at ease until Pochettino recently hired him as an inverted wing-back.
Cucurella moved into midfield with Moises Caicedo in possession during wins over Tottenham and West Ham.
Chelsea’s build-up play has significantly improved, thanks to Caicedo and Cucurella’s double pivot, which allows for far more control.
The Ecuadorian had been isolated throughout the season, but having Cucurella by his side has made his life much easier.
The pair now have the option to play a simple 10 yard ball to the other if there is no option for a more progressive pass, reducing the risk of being dispossessed.
The 3-2-2-3 formation also allows Conor Gallagher and Cole Palmer to take up advanced positions in between the lines, knowing that there is a solid base behind them.
