Pochettino Understands Chelsea Fans’ Frustrations After Poor Start 

Football - Premier League - AFC Bournemouth v Chelsea - Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth, Britain - September 17, 2023 Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - AFC Bournemouth v Chelsea - Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth, Britain - September 17, 2023 Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino. (Reuters)
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Pochettino Understands Chelsea Fans’ Frustrations After Poor Start 

Football - Premier League - AFC Bournemouth v Chelsea - Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth, Britain - September 17, 2023 Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - AFC Bournemouth v Chelsea - Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth, Britain - September 17, 2023 Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino. (Reuters)

Mauricio Pochettino understands Chelsea fans' frustrations with their poor start to the season but says his side have been hampered by injuries to more than a dozen players and that he will not change the way they are doing things.

Chelsea's poor form continued with a 0-0 draw at Bournemouth on Sunday, the second game in a row in which Pochettino's side failed to score after they lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest earlier this month.

Chelsea sit 14th in the Premier League with five points from five games, despite spending around $1 billion in transfer fees since the new ownership led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital completed their takeover of the club in May 2022.

"I think the fans know if you invest the money that people talk about in the media, there is expectation," Pochettino said after the game. "If you do not win, it is normal that the fans are not happy.

"What I can tell the fans are the circumstances, which we cannot change. There are too many players not available."

Defender Marc Cucurella, forward Noni Madueke and British record signing Moises Caicedo missed Sunday's game, joining a lengthy injury list that includes captain Reece James, Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia.

"We have extraordinary belief but bad luck, because we have 12 injured players, plus then Cucurella, Madueke and Caicedo today," added Pochettino.

"Am I going to cry or complain? No. I need to accept this challenge and keep being positive. We are not going to change the way that we are going to do things."



Tour Reverses Decision to Bar Israeli Players from Indoor Championships

Tour Reverses Decision to Bar Israeli Players from Indoor Championships
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Tour Reverses Decision to Bar Israeli Players from Indoor Championships

Tour Reverses Decision to Bar Israeli Players from Indoor Championships

The World Bowls Tour has reversed a decision to bar Israeli players from this month's World Indoor Bowls Championships in England after putting in place additional security measures.

The WBT said in a statement that the Israelis were welcome to participate in the Jan. 10-26 tournament at Potters Resorts in Hopton-on-Sea, near the eastern port of Great Yarmouth.

"Significant additional security measures have been put in place," it explained, Reuters reported.

"The WBT acknowledges that this has been a difficult time for all involved and we are pleased that we have been able to achieve an outcome that includes players for all supporting countries."

The U-turn restores Daniel Alomin to the singles draw and Amnon Amar and Itai Rigbi to the pairs.

The original decision, which followed a campaign by pro-Palestinian groups, was condemned by a local parliamentarian and Jewish representatives.

The WBT is not affiliated with World Bowls, the Melbourne-based international federation that organises a rival World Bowls Indoor Championships.