Mauricio Pochettino admitted that his Chelsea players are falling far short of the goals set for them in the preseason and that they will seek to achieve a positive result at home against Crystal Palace next Wednesday.

The results at Stamford Bridge have been the only bright spot in recent weeks, with three consecutive victories in west London during December, while away results have experienced a concerning decline.

The defeat against Wolves at Molineux on Christmas Eve was their fourth consecutive loss away, following setbacks at Newcastle, Manchester United, and Everton, leaving the team facing the likely prospect of not
qualifying for Europe for the second season.

A Carabao Cup semi-final against the Championship team, Middlesborough, in January, could open the door to a potential path to the Europa Conference League.

Pochettino admitted that it is not what he anticipated halfway through the season in his first tenure as Chelsea's coach. "We are very far (from the goal)," declared the Blues' coach. "Our goal was to be at the top, even if no one believed in us. But in the circumstances, we are fighting for different things," he added.