Soccer Football - Premier League - Chelsea v Aston Villa - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - September 24, 2023 Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino reacts REUTERS/David Klein
(Reuters) - Chelsea's poor start to the Premier League season continued with a 1-0 home defeat by Aston Villa on Sunday and manager Mauricio Pochettino said they must "grow up like a team".
The Argentine's expensively assembled side have not scored in their last three games and sit 14th with just one win in six matches, making it their worst start to a campaign since 1978.
"We need to grow up like a team, not only in an individual way," Pochettino said.
"In this type of game, we are competing and want to win and football is about winning. But also players, when they are young, need to learn, and experience and make mistakes.
"That's why we feel disappointed as there are too many situations like this."
Pochettino said Chelsea's U.S. owners, who have spent close to one billion pounds ($1.22 billion) on new players since acquiring the club last year, are "disappointed" with the results but added that "they need to support the plan".
Chelsea next host Brighton & Hove Albion in the League Cup on Wednesday, followed by a league visit to West London neighbours Fulham on Oct. 2.
($1 = 0.8173 pounds)
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
