Mauricio Pochettino said it all about Chelsea’s growth, Everton, Nkunku, contracts, and fans.

Mauricio Pochettino was once again in charge of Chelsea’s press conference prior of their Premier League match against Everton. The Blues travel to Goodison Park on Sunday aiming to rebound from their loss to Manchester United, but Chelsea’s manager is well aware of the struggle his squad will face against Sean Dyche’s side.

There was little development on the injury front for the Blues, with a similar refrain on Christopher Nkunku, while Pochettino went into detail on his team’s progress and how being without players has impacted the club. The whole press conference is detailed here by football.london.

Is there an update on Christopher Nkunku, and will anyone else be returning?

We’re still evaluating day by day, so check back tomorrow. I don’t think he’ll be involved, but we’ll have to wait and see. We’ll see if Malo Gusto is available, but other than that, no.

Where do you believe Chelsea has improved?

I don’t think it’s fair to talk about progress too much because all of the variables are difficult to judge day by day and game by game. True, but it’s not an excuse because we’re in a club that needs to win and do our job. We know the club better, we know the squad, the players, some of whom were injured at the start of the season, and our relationship with the staff and people here is a huge step forward for us and the team because we know them.

Every single player understands what we want of them; the next step is to deliver the job, and the third step is to perform. I believe we need to improve throughout time since we are not receiving what we want for various causes and conditions. I believe we deserved much more at the start of the season, but our performance has dipped in recent weeks, and I believe our evaluation is fair and realistic. We need to find a good way to begin doing well again. After Brighton, the sensations were different; after Manchester [United], we couldn’t go from 0 to 100, 100 to 0. This is a typical phase, but it is difficult because we are Chelsea.We must accept the reality that we do not always succeed and do not have access to all of the squad’s components. Not only us, but every Premier League club can struggle. Too many positives from the start of the season, it’s about trying to keep going, being calm, not getting too excited when we win, and not getting too depressed when we lose. In this period, the most crucial factor is balance.

When do you believe we’ll see development after being five points poorer after 15 games?

It is a difficult procedure to put a date on. Finishing and beginning to perform and be consistent is a process that always requires time. We know exactly what we want, but you also need some luck to keep the players fit or involved, and to develop competitiveness among them till we discover this momentum. We need to stay cool and keep pushing since we are so close but didn’t have the luck we deserved. Too many teams were winning games they didn’t deserve, but our goal is to deserve, be better, more clinical, and generate more chances.

We did not win games that we did not deserve to win. It may take some time to create confidence and trust, but we will keep pushing and working extremely hard. I believe we know what we need to accomplish, but it will take time.

Everton’s reaction to the points deduction has been positive. How much more difficult is it now to go there?

It’ll be difficult, but they were having a nice season before that happened. Sean Dyche is someone I know well and admire for what he has accomplished with Burnley. They have the impression that they have been treated unfairly, and when you have this impression, you feel liberated and have nothing to lose. They also have good players, and Sean is doing an excellent job.

It’ll be difficult after last night. They won big against Newcastle, and they’ll be fired up to meet us. Every game in the Premier League is difficult, and we must be prepared to compete well.

With a limited number of players available, have you exhausted your options?

We’re trying to optimize the players we have, and this type of player requires patience. When you’re going through these kinds of circumstances, it’s important to stay cool. We were disappointed because we wanted to beat Manchester, and I believe we came close. They started incredibly well, with more energy than we could equal, but we generated enough chances.

They were more clinical, and it was a terrible time for them as well. I believe it is always about dealing with the issue; we cannot complain and must accept reality.

How do you work on consistency on a daily basis?

It’s all-encompassing. It’s a small bit from each component; it’s not just one issue you need to talk about or focus on. That is the squad’s composition, their profiles, and the players that are unable to participate. Every game, we must strike a nice balance on the field. The inconsistency was caused by a separate member of the team.

To reiterate from the beginning of the season, the challenge was to settle everything and act as a team. We are late in that situation due to a variety of factors. We should be early during this period of attempting to resolve things, but due to unforeseen circumstances, we are late.

Extra day off than Everton this weekend, after having less vs Manchester United?

The effort has accumulated, yet it is not the same. It’s difficult, but not impossible. It may appear similar, but it is not. It is critical to recognize the cumulative effort and to recuperate as soon as feasible.

Now that we have another game coming up, we must focus on attempting to perform, and if someone is fatigued, they will not participate, so we must field a fresh team to perform and match their intensity.

Is the job more difficult than you anticipated?

No. Certainly, it would be preferable if we were in a different situation. We understood when we accepted this offer that it would be difficult.

When you came, everyone assumed you’d be in the running for the top four…

Yes, we will challenge it. Perhaps not now, but in the future.

How far into the future are we talking?

Who can say? As soon as possible, hopefully. We will undoubtedly challenge the top four.

Do long-term contracts make it difficult to find the appropriate players?

We need to give this type of player more opportunities. There are many players who enter with contracts that are far longer than ours. The goal now is not just to sign players to eight-year contracts, but also to work with them and put everything in perspective in order to establish a dynamic and a team.

That is the most challenging problem we face; we have fantastic players, but we need to build a platform where they can all find their place and begin to feel like they belong to this group, squad, and club.

Some players not progressing as quickly as expected?

How can they improve at the rate that everyone desires in a club like Chelsea, where the culture is to win, if the priority is to settle, belong to different things to perform and win games? The most essential thing for these young players right now, I believe, is that they all know exactly what we expect from them.

I don’t want to say it again because I know this type of news conference is difficult for you and difficult for me, but when we talk about young players, they need to feel comfortable and confident. We must not forget that we are at Chelsea and that the pressure is immense. You feel pressure when you don’t win. Using this badge in place of another is not the same thing. We know what needs to be done. It is a matter of time; sometimes six months, sometimes a year, sometimes four months. I believe we are constructing something that will pay off.

What makes facing a Sean Dyche squad difficult?

It’s a really different style, and they can play in a variety of ways. Teams are always aggressive. Aggressive and courageous, just like his persona. We’ll want for a team that can press high and build from the back while also being direct. It’ll be interesting since it’ll be a tremendous test for us.

In the face of hardship, you can create something unique in all aspects of the club. It will reawaken everyone’s desire to feel a part of this unjust choice and make them stronger. We will face a very difficult environment, and if we are to compete in the Premier League, we must deal with it.

Concerning fans who have turned on players? Do you need to be more patient?

We have nothing to say to the fans. We can’t blame them for reacting the way they do. It is natural for them to criticize us if we are not performing adequately. I believe we must accept this.