Chelsea arrives with a tense and restless Mauricio Pochettino at the helm

On Tuesday night, a disaster could have loomed for Chelsea and their head coach Mauricio Pochettino from Stamford Bridge.

In need to reverse a one-goal loss that had occurred a fortnight ago amidst embarrassment at the hands of Championship side Middlesbrough, Chelsea entered the second round of the Carabao Cup semi-final. Sitting ninth on the Premier League table, failure would only exacerbate the disaffection felt by the fans towards Pochettino due to his Tottenham affiliations.

What has defined Chelsea for nearly two decades is their unwavering commitment towards securing victories, regardless of what it might cost them both on the field and off it. The Blues have been able to retain this philosophy to some extent under the relatively new management of BlueCo that replaced Roman Abramovich.

In order to reassure their fans that victory remains the paramount objective, the team has a long way to go, especially after the removal of Thomas Tuchel and the following appointments of Graham Potter of Brighton and Pochettino. Neither Potter nor Pochettino are particularly famous for their arrays of trophies.

Alongside winning, what used to be integral to Chelsea’s identity was their defensive resilience. Potter couldn’t instill an identity, and only fleeting moments of potential have been seen under Pochettino.

A resounding second-leg victory of 6-1 over Middlesbrough spirited Chelsea into the Carabao Cup final in grand style and extended Stamford Bridge’s unbeaten streak to nine games – a significant improvement from the seven they won in the season following Tuchel's dismissal.

Critics would argue that Pochettino’s tenure at Spurs was marked by a conspicuous lack of silverware, supposedly because of his lack of respect towards domestic cups, and his focus on Premier League and Champions League success.

Although he might refute it publicly, Pochettino undoubtedly feels a desire to vindicate himself and his management. If his tenure at Chelsea is to be considered successful, victories and trophies are key.

Finally, there have been some signs that the team knows its identity, what it stands for, and what it wants, even if it's dressed in a combative yet mildly troubled personification of Pochettino.

In the previous two home games, Pochettino appeared increasingly flustered, in striking contrast to his usual calm and composed demeanor. This was particularly apparent during the match against Boro, where his visibly tightened jaw and clenched fists indicated the immense pressure he felt.

However, Pochettino-led teams that score an early goal tend to pummel the opposition into making errors and capitulating in fear. This trend was maintained on Tuesday in what turned out to be Chelsea's most definitive win of the season.

Pochettino's ability to nurture young talent can sometimes lead to an exacerbation of any existing petulance among the squad. However, the potential shown by Chelsea so far indicates that this experiment is worth continuing.

The real measure of the team's success under Pochettino, and his own accomplishments, will be their performance at Wembley against either Fulham or, more likely, Premier League leaders Liverpool. For this youthful squad and contentious manager, a trophy could provide a path to maturity and renewed validation. They have a potential game plan to secure victory in the final based on their strengths.