Mauricio Pochettino rips into his 'soft' Chelsea players after their 4-1 defeat by Newcastle, with the Blues boss cancelling plans for two days off after their St James' Park display

Marucio Pochettino ripped into his ‘soft’ Chelsea players as he cancelled plans for two days off following their 4-1 defeat at Newcastle.

The Argentine was forced to watch from the stands as he served a touchline ban and his team were just as disconnected on the pitch.

Skipper Reece James was sent off and Thiago Silva was among those culpable in gifting the injury-depleted hosts what Pochettino called ‘an easy win’.

‘These games make me very, very, very, very angry,’ he said. ‘We have to show personality and character. We cannot play this type of football.

‘Newcastle were not great, but got an easy win. We had to show it was difficult for them. But it was so easy the way we conceded and were so soft in every single challenge. We didn’t show we were playing for something important.

‘We are young and have to learn. We need to be more solid, be ready to compete. I can play football, everyone can, but you have to be ready to compete and today we didn’t.’

He added: ‘It’s not about me being there (on the touchline) or not. It is about maturity. We have to show energy and capacity to compete. The big teams perform every week, every three days in this way.

‘It was so frustrating. It was really tough. I could not show my emotion (during the game). I am very disappointed in the performance. We were not connected with the game. 

'We scored (to make it 1-1) and it was a moment to go. But the team didn’t have the right energy. It was our worst of the season. 

'We can blame ourselves. We cannot miss this opportunity to show our best.

‘There are many details, many things that build confidence and strength. We already know what is going on, and we will try to change the dynamic.’

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, meanwhile, was delighted that his team refused to feel sorry for themselves despite having 13 players missing. The win took them back into the top six.

‘It was as good a win in my time here,’ said Howe. ‘It's such an important win for us with the position we're in, the stretched resources that we have.

‘To be able to come together and give a performance like that speaks volumes for the character of the players we have, the leaders we have in the group and our ability to just focus on the present, on what's happening right now.

‘You look at the players who were missing and that was a giant performance from the players we have fit.'