Chelsea: Manager Mauricio Pochettino claims that several younger players are "struggling with the pressure."

 According to manager Mauricio Pochettino, some of Chelsea's younger players are "struggling a little bit to deal with the pressure" of representing the team.

When the Argentine took over last summer, the Blues made a big play for young players.

Cole Palmer, 21, is an obvious standout as the top goalscorer since leaving Manchester City.

Pochettino said: "Not all the players have the same process to settle in at the club [as Palmer] or to perform."

With Monday's 3-2 victory over Newcastle, Palmer scored his 11th Premier League goal of the year, moving Chelsea up to 11th in the standings after they ended 12th the previous season.

The Blues also fell short against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final on penalties; but, they are still in the FA Cup and will play Championship leaders Leicester on Sunday in the quarterfinals.

 

Pochettino added: "One thing we cannot change is to give time to the players to get experience and be more mature.

"Yes, we are in a process that the main group, the main young players, they struggle a little bit to deal with the pressure to play for Chelsea.

"That is the thing we are, of course, aware of and we are focusing on trying to help them in all the areas.

"When you have this young squad, it's not only to help them in training, in the maybe two hours of that. We have spent a lot of time talking with the people that work around these guys, who are important too."

Another summer transfer to Chelsea was Nicolas Jackson, a 22-year-old striker from Senegal who opened the score against Newcastle with his 12th goal overall.

Didier Drogba scored 16 goals in his debut season at Stamford Bridge (2004–05), but he left the team as a Chelsea icon after spending two periods totaling 164 goals, the last one finishing in 2015.

"You all are now seeing how [Jackson] is improving," said Pochettino. "The most difficult thing was to support him when it was tough. I told you I really believe in him.

"I believe he is going to be very successful here. He has the quality and the capacity. Now he is doing much better but still needs to improve a lot.

"The numbers are similar to Drogba in his first season. That maybe gives the fans more belief in him and [they will] be a little more patient with him, but always it depends on the circumstances.

"Now I hope people can start to understand he has the condition to be very good."

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