Former Chelsea defender Mario Melchiot questions Pochettino’s use of Levi Colwill
Former Chelsea defender Mario Melchiot has questioned Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino’s decision to often play centre-back Levi Colwill out-of-position this season.
In an interview with ESPN FC’s official YouTube channel, Melchiot disapproved of Pochettino’s constant use of the 20-year-old centre-back in the left-back position.
“I like [Levi Colwill]. I was one of the first to say don’t sell him, but I don’t understand why you play him there. If you want to play him, play him in the centre of the backline, in the centre.”
Mauricio Pochettino’s experiment has pushed natural left-back Ben Chilwell upfield as a result. However, the Argentine manager’s various experiments are yet to yield positive results with Chelsea sitting 14th in the Premier League standings.
Dutchman Mario Melchiot believes Pochettino should move the English international Levi Colwill back to the middle and restore Chilwell at left-back. The current setup appears to be gaining the Blues little as their 3-match goalless streak continues.
As our club’s head coach, Pochettino surely has the best interests in mind, but the questionable deployment of Colwill and Chilwell draws criticism amidst Chelsea’s poor form.
Restoring them to more natural roles may not fix everything, as Chelsea’s current problems run deeper. But playing players in their best positions should increase cohesion and chances of winning.
The Chelsea boss also recently started winger Mykhailo Mudryk over Chilwell. His decision suggests Pochettino recognizes the need for pace and creativity that Chilwell cannot offer for all his attacking prowess.
The 20-year-old Colwill is a product of Chelsea’s youth academy and is a huge asset for the club due to his high ceiling and versatility. Poch used him as a left-sided centre-back in our 1-0 EFL Cup win against Brighton on Wednesday, so perhaps he is now getting comfortable with the idea.
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Hopefully, Chilwell remains fit so that Colwill continues playing in a position he is accustomed to. Too much of experimentation can be costly if we don’t learn from mistakes.