The Blues were embarrassed by Jurgen Klopp's kids at Wembley, and appear to be going nowhere under their beleaguered boss
The Carabao Cup is not the most prestigious trophy English football has to offer, and elite clubs generally tend to treat it as a second-rate competition. But Liverpool's triumph over Chelsea in the 2023-24 final held more weight than usual.
The Reds went into the game in the middle of an unprecedented injury crisis, with star attacking trio Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota among those sidelined. Ryan Gravenberch, meanwhile, only lasted 25 minutes at Wembley as he had to be carried off on a stretcher after being floored by a reckless challenge from Moises Caicedo.
By the end of extra-time, the average age of Liverpool's team was less than 22, with five players 20 or under. Virgil van Dijk was the hero after heading in the only goal of the game two minutes before the final whistle, which topped off a true captain's performance, but the likes of Bobby Clark, James McConnell and Jayden Danns also etched their names into the club's history books.
"It’s been Klopp’s kids against the blue billion-pound bottle jobs,” co-commentator Gary Neville remarked after Van Dijk's goal. "This is Klopp's last few months [as Liverpool boss], but it will be as proud a moment as he's had."
Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital have pumped obscene amounts of money into Chelsea since their takeover in 2022, but misery has been the only return on their investment so far. The Blues finally hit rock bottom on Sunday, and it's difficult to see any way forward for Pochettino after such a humiliating defeat.
GettyGolden opportunity missed
It must be noted that the average age of Chelsea's starting XI at Wembley was under 24, younger than Liverpool's, and Pochettino pointed to that fact when asked to respond to Neville's brutal line. “I don’t hear what he said but if you compare the age of the two groups, I think it is similar,” said the Chelsea boss “Look, I have a good relationship with Gary. I don’t know how I can take his opinion, but I respect his opinion. We are a young team. Nothing to compare with Liverpool because they also finished with young players. It’s impossible to compare, and he knows that the dynamics are completely different. I don’t think it’s fair to speak in this way.”
Chelsea did, however, hold a major advantage in the experience stakes. Ben Chilwell played a key role in the Blues' run to Champions League glory three years ago, Enzo Fernandez won the World Cup alongside Lionel Messi at Qatar 2022, and Raheem Sterling lifted 10 trophies during his time at Manchester City – including five League Cups.
Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo and Axel Disasi also started the game as Pochettino was able to call on the majority of his heavy-hitters. And yet Chelsea still blew a golden opportunity for silverware that would have helped to paper over the cracks of what has otherwise been another nightmare campaign.
Liverpool had also won their previous three final meetings with Chelsea, in the 2019 UEFA Super Cup and the 2022 Carabao Cup and FA Cup, but any mental block should have been removed when Klopp's lineup was released. The German tactician managed to mastermind another famous victory despite fielding a significantly weakened team, and as a consequence, Pochettino's reputation has been left in ruins.
Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesPoch lives up to nearly-man tag
Chelsea didn't struggle with creating clear scoring chances at Wembley, and Liverpool had backup goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher to thank for keeping them at bay. The 25-year-old produced a repeat of his stellar 2022 final showing with a pair of brilliant saves to deny Palmer and Conor Gallagher, and exuded calmness to the rest of the Liverpool defence throughout the gruelling 120-minute contest.
But Pochettino's side only really played in bursts. Despite having a whole week to prepare for the game, compared to a three-day turnaround for Liverpool, fatigue eventually proved to be Chelsea's undoing.
The Reds forced the issue in extra-time while the Blues retreated, and incredibly, Pochettino admitted they were holding out for penalties when speaking to the media after the game. "The players started to lose their energy," he said. "[Ben Chilwell] Chilly felt really, really tired. [Conor] Gallagher, after five minutes, we needed to change. The team felt maybe penalties would be good for us. The effort was massive."
With that kind of mentality, it's easy to see why Pochettino has always been a nearly-man.
Getty ImagesThe Klopp mindset
Pochettino solidified a standing among Europe's elite coaches during his five-year stint at Tottenham, transforming the club into title contenders after being poached from Southampton. He created a formidable, attack-minded team that earned plenty of admirers, but tangible success proved elusive, as he oversaw defeats in the 2015 League Cup and 2019 Champions League finals alongside a runners' up finish in the Premier League.
He also came up short at Paris Saint-Germain, failing to deliver a customary Ligue 1 title in his first season or oversee genuine progress in the Champions League, despite the presence of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar upfront. Pochettino is not a serial winner in the same mould as Klopp, or a large number of the coaches that have come before him at Chelsea.
Whatever happens between now and May, Klopp will depart Anfield as a modern-day legend – a true leader of men who has exceeded all expectations during his nine-year reign with Liverpool. He's also lost his fair share of finals, but Liverpool always bounce back because he's created 'mentality monsters' across all levels of the club, and that's exactly the kind of manager Chelsea need if they are to get back to the same level.
Pochettino is working with the most expensive squad in the history of the game, but his team are lacking something money can't buy: a clear identity and collective spirit. The 51-year-old has had nine months to affect change at Stamford Bridge, but Chelsea are going nowhere right now, and something has to give.
'Mid-table players'
It certainly doesn't seem like the players have bought into Pochettino's methods at Chelsea, with a nervous energy coursing through their veins during the Wembley showpiece. Fernandez constantly misplaced simple passes, Malo Gusto's first-touch deserted him, and Disasi invited pressure with his clumsiness on the ball.
The Blues also showed zero composure in front of goal, with Gallagher squandering the best of their chances, and although they were unfortunate to see a first-half goal from Raheem Sterling ruled out offside, it always felt like Liverpool carried the greater threat.
It was certainly an improved performance from Chelsea when compared to their dismal display in a 4-1 Premier League defeat at Anfield last month, but again, they were up against a depleted Liverpool this time around.
Former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf said Pochettino's squad is brimming with "mid-table players" after the defeat on Merseyside, and it looked that way again in the cup final. Despite spending over £1.4 billion across the last four transfer windows, the Blues have endured their worst period since the pre-Roman Ambramovich era, and more drastic changes will be necessary to turn the tide.