Pochettino in crisis talks with Chelsea flops and takes responsibility for the dire situation

MAURICIO POCHETTINO put his head on the block for his struggling Chelsea players after crunch talks on Tuesday.

The Blues travel to Aston Villa on Wednesday evening for an FA Cup replay after back-to-back defeats in which they scored eight goals.

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But boss Poch said: “I told the players at a meeting today that I trust you more than ever. I'm going to support you more than ever.

“I am not a normal boss, I am the leader and I have to emphasize in every action that I really trust the players.

“If they don't perform, it is always my responsibility and that of the players, because they are on the field.

“I trust that we can change the situation and change the results.”

Chelsea were beaten 4-1 at Liverpool on Sunday and then 4-2 at home by Wolves to send them to the bottom half of the Premier League.

But Pochettino revealed he received a supportive text message from Chelsea owners Behdad Eghbali and Todd Boehly to reassure him at a tense time.

The Argentinian added: “I received a very good text from them. We are all in this together.

“What happened against Liverpool has consequences for the players because we are a team that needs confidence.

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“That is why we demand support for the team, because we know that the players have great quality.

“The problem is that it takes time to build a team.

That is the reality that we have to translate to the fans – and that the fans have to be patient.

“Of course we will find a way to solve the problem; we will perform and get into the position the club deserves.”

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