For Graham Potter, the truth that the world will cease caring about membership soccer for the following month is an absolute blessing.
His Chelsea dream has shortly descended right into a nightmare, with some followers calling for his head to roll after a run of 4 defeats in 5 video games in all competitions heading into the World Cup. With no wins in his final 5 Premier League outings both, there’s a complete lot that Potter wants to repair – and fast.
A bit of tactical tweak each infrequently is important to any managerial success, however altering formation three or 4 occasions each sport could be taking issues a bit of too far.
Potter has chopped and adjusted issues far too incessantly in a crew who’re nonetheless attempting to get used to his strategies, and it is abundantly clear that the gamers do not know the best way to do their many, many roles.
Chelsea want one thing settled, a minimum of whereas they familiarize yourself with Potter’s method of doing issues.
This one is a bit of harsh as Potter misplaced each his most well-liked full-backs – Reece James and Ben Chilwell – to harm.
That being stated, after they want changing, how about we do not go together with Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic?
Deploying the 2 wingers in such a job was a daring technique that did not repay (after which some) in opposition to Brighton, so Potter must take it straightforward on the dangers for now.
Marc Cucurella was purported to be a superb signing for Chelsea through the summer season, and reuniting with Potter – the person who made Cucurella ok to earn a £60m+ transfer to Stamford Bridge within the first place – felt like perfection.
The outcomes on the pitch have been something however.
In the same large centre-back position he performed at Brighton, Cucurella has struggled tremendously in Chelsea blue, and he hasn’t supplied a lot on the left both. Potter wants to determine why.
The prolific Raheem Sterling joined Chelsea in the summertime as the person to repair Chelsea’s goalscoring woes, solely to attain in opposition to a Leicester facet in disaster and a Southampton crew slowly heading in the direction of one.
Sterling hasn’t lived as much as expectations, however how a lot of that’s all the way down to the very fact he has performed in no fewer that 5 place since Potter joined is unclear.
The duty right here is to determine why the Manchester Metropolis model of Sterling was elite and the Chelsea model has underwhelmed. It might want a tactical tweak.
Potter appears to have taken a liking to Kepa Arrizabalaga, who returned his religion with a string of wonderful performances earlier than a irritating harm ended his World Cup hopes.
If the boss desires to stay with Kepa upon his return, that is effective. It is a resolution which can seemingly power Edouard Mendy out the exit door, nevertheless, so Potter must play this one properly.
Kepa’s capability with the ball at his ft appears to have given him the sting, and if that is the case, so be it.
Chelsea headed into the World Cup break in defensive mode as they set as much as face Newcastle with a entrance three of Armando Broja, Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher.
The trio are all glorious in their very own proper – that’s not for debate – however they pleasure themselves extra on trade than finish product. Their work charge in opposition to Newcastle was prime notch however the actuality is Mount had the fewest touches of the entire sport and Chelsea had been comprehensively battered at each ends of the pitch.
It appears like Potter has been attempting to provide 19-year-old Omari Hutchinson an opportunity, solely to search out himself unprepared to take the chance with Chelsea already struggling.
The temper across the Chelsea supporters is getting fairly poisonous. Opinion was divided when Thomas Tuchel was sacked and Potter was recruited, and regardless of some early optimism, these detractors are out in full power today.
The best way to win them again? Constructive, coherent performances. Followers clearly need wins however they need to see their crew look competent within the face of adversity, not tactically unaware in opposition to Brighton and utterly fearful of a Newcastle facet who, with all due respect, ought to by no means be thought of higher than Chelsea, no matter kind.
Chelsea return to motion in opposition to Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest, which presents Potter with the right probability to inject some life again into his despondent Blues.
