Chelsea’s manager, Mauricio Pochettino, emphasized the ongoing absence of Romeo Lavia, described as a “supposed to be a very good player,” following their 2-2 draw at Brentford.
Despite Nicolas Jackson giving the Blues an early lead, they found themselves trailing 2-1 in the second half as the hosts mounted a comeback. Axel Disasi’s late header secured a crucial point, leaving Chelsea in 11th place in the Premier League, closer to the relegation zone than the top four.
Pochettino altered his usual 4-2-3-1 formation to a 3-5-2 setup during the game but clarified that this adjustment was not an imitation of Brentford’s formation. The former PSG boss explained that the modification was necessitated by the prolonged absence of midfielders like Lavia.
“We needed to provide the midfield with the possibility not to cover too much distance.
“[Conor] Gallagher didn’t start against Leeds because he was very, very tired.
“Because players like Lavia were supposed to be a very good player, and of course Lesley Ugochukwu.
“They are injured and we don’t have the possibility to refresh players that are in a key area. That is why to help them with another centre-back,” Pochettino said in his post-match press conference.