Mauricio Pochettino's job at Chelsea has, in a way, gotten easier as the injuries have ramped up in the final stretch of the season. Against Tottenham last week there were only 10 fit senior outfield players, and one of those was 20-year-old Alfie Gilchrist, who started the year in the academy.

There wasn't much choice in the selection, but the 'circumstances' which Pochettino is keen to remind people of actually aided the togetherness, or so it seems. Now, with just three games to go, there is plenty to play for.

Chelsea are within reach of qualifying not only for Europe, but possibly the Europa League. For much of the year that has seemed like a pipedream, though never too far away mathematically.

It has been inconsistency letting them down, the sort of thing that sees draws to Burnley, Brentford, and Sheffield United even during a positive run of results. Pochettino has said that is simply where the club is, and when they're good, they're very good.

Harnessing that into something regular has always been the challenge, especially with a group of young players learning on the job. It's no surprise that after eight months they are better than they were after four.

Injuries and setbacks have helped, then, in the sense that relationships have started to form. Rotation has been less possible, and players have to an extent been forced into form.

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Just how many the head coach would now be looking to switch up on a weekly basis isn't obvious either. Moises Caicedo and Conor Gallagher have a strong record together this season so breaking that partnership would be a risk even if there were other senior options available.

Nicolas Jackson could have done with some help up front at times but a return of 13 league goals (all from open play) in 29 starts is better than most of those that have recently gone before him. Only really on the wings is it likely that changes would have occurred in the past month or so.

Pochettino has been willing to prioritise fitness in his defence, resting Trevoh Chalobah and Thiago Silva for the 5-0 defeat against Arsenal despite them building a connection together. Across the field, though, a settled side has emerged.

Marc Cucurella has started nine league games in a row and now actively moves centrally to reduce the space around Caicedo as well as offering more passing options. Gallagher and Caicedo himself have been near ever-present and know each other's game inside out.

Jackson has started 12 consecutive league games as well since returning from the African Cup of Nations and getting his place back. He has started to link with his fellow attackers more regularly rather than at times looking disjointed and out of place - more of a systematic issue than a personal one.

Across a variety of roles Palmer has only failed to start three league games since the start of October. It doesn't seem to matter who is around him, the space appears to be his and his alone regardless. He sees blue shirts and finds them indiscriminately.

The surprise package of the past month or so is surely Noni Madueke, benefitting from Enzo Fernandez's season-ending injury with Palmer moving centrally, as well as Raheem Sterling suffering knocks and setbacks. Carney Chukwuemeka's own issues have meant that he has had less competition for the right-wing berth.

Having only managed three goals in his first 26 Premier League matches, Madueke has doubled that in the last six games. In two of the past three games, he has also assisted as well as scored. There is no way back for Sterling in the side currently and Madueke is making the most of his longest stretch of starts since joining in January 2023.

He specifically is an option that it simply looked like Pochettino was going to lack. Now, Madueke's improved (but still flawed) defensive input alongside his attacking contribution makes him a standout to play a big role in the remaining games.

The same cannot be said of Mykhailo Mudryk. His form doesn't seem to warrant the regular game time he is now getting. Despite flashes and a bit more consistency on the ball in terms of finding his teammates, the Ukrainian still lacks in taking hold of a game, or just not drifting out of it in extended patches.

A fit Sterling may well argue that time has come for a change on the left against Nottingham Forest, an opponent he scored three times against last season. That is about the only position truly up for grabs though.

Jackson, Madueke, Caicedo, and Gallagher have all responded to the adversity Chelsea have suffered this season with strong reactions. The defence continues to be shifted slightly, and Malo Gusto coming back from injury might see yet another from the outset at the City Ground.

Pochettino has found an answer of sorts for now though and rather than looking for the answers elsewhere in his squad (and injury list) there is reason to think that places are now there to be lost rather than won. This, in turn, should foster competition and improvement.

Chelsea tend not to play by the rules though.