{"id":299879,"date":"2023-12-12T16:33:03","date_gmt":"2023-12-12T16:33:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports-life-news.com\/?p=299879"},"modified":"2023-12-12T16:33:03","modified_gmt":"2023-12-12T16:33:03","slug":"chelsea-left-red-faced-by-two-players-forced-out-the-door-by-mauricio-pochettino","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports-life-news.com\/soccer\/chelsea-left-red-faced-by-two-players-forced-out-the-door-by-mauricio-pochettino\/","title":{"rendered":"Chelsea left red-faced by two players forced out the door by Mauricio Pochettino"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino barely gave Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang or Romelu Lukaku a second thought when he took over at Stamford Bridge. But the pair have left the Argentine red-faced with their performances since leaving.<\/p>\n

It wasn’t a surprise that both Aubameyang and Lukaku were moved on in the summer. Aubameyang started just five Premier League matches in his first season in west London, finding the net on one occasion.<\/p>\n

He turned 34 in June and wasn’t seen as a player who fitted into Pochettino’s regime. Marseille snapped him up in July to end a miserable spell for the former Arsenal captain.<\/p>\n

Lukaku stuck around a lot longer, with the Belgian not leaving Chelsea until Roma signed him on loan on August 31. Pochettino made it clear he wasn’t in his plans though.<\/p>\n

Read more… <\/strong> Man Utd ‘put five players up for sale’ as ruthless Erik ten Hag starts clear-out<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Lukaku did not feature in pre-season and didn’t train with the first-team squad after he returned from his loan at Inter Milan. Pochettino had already decided that he would take his squad in a direction that didn’t include the \u00a397.5million frontman.<\/p>\n

But both he and Aubameyang have flourished since their respective departures. Aubameyang in particular has returned to the goalscoring form that earned him that big-money move to Arsenal almost six years ago.<\/p>\n

The Gabon star has scored 12 goals and registered six assists in 21 appearances for Marseille. Lukaku has been slightly less prolific at Roma but has still recorded 11 goals and one assist in 18 outings.<\/p>\n

The pair have provided 30 goal contributions between them for their new clubs, while Chelsea still struggle to find that regular goalscorer. Pochettino expressed his frustration at his side’s lack of ruthlessness following Sunday’s 2-0 loss at Everton.<\/p>\n