Former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf has voiced his dissatisfaction with the current squad under manager Mauricio Pochettino, suggesting that they lack the necessary quality. Chelsea suffered a 1-0 defeat to Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool in the EFL Cup final on Sunday, February 25, at Wembley.
Virgil van Dijk’s goal in the 118th minute secured Liverpool their first trophy of Jürgen Klopp’s final season, following a goalless 90 minutes. Despite Liverpool’s injury woes and the inclusion of inexperienced academy players, Chelsea struggled to breach goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher’s defenses.
In the aftermath of the match, Frank Leboeuf acknowledged the players’ effort on the field but lamented their overall performance, attributing the loss to a lack of quality.
The former France international, a World Cup winner, expressed his disappointment, stating that the players’ best efforts fell short of Chelsea’s standards. Speaking to Tribal Football, Leboeuf remarked:
“I think they all did their best – but that’s the problem! With the players they have, you can only complain about the result – that’s why I’m upset. It’s because they worked so hard. They did their best. That’s why it’s upsetting as they all tried. But that’s not enough for Chelsea… that’s what it is!”
Leboeuf further emphasized the need for Chelsea to address their squad shortcomings, particularly in light of fan expectations. He stressed the urgency for improvement, highlighting concerns over potential long-term mediocrity. He added:
“And that’s the thing they’re going to have to think about this summer as fans are going to get upset. Very upset. One season? Two seasons? Another one? Again? Ah c’mon! This is not possible. We cannot finish in the middle of the table. We cannot show the world that we’re so fragile. We’re Chelsea Football Club!”
Winning the EFL Cup would have offered a significant morale boost for Chelsea and secured them a spot in the UEFA European Conference League next season. However, with Pochettino’s team currently occupying 11th place in the Premier League table with just 35 points from 25 games, there are evident challenges ahead.
