MY ACCOUNT
Chelsea’s humiliating FA Cup exit at the hands of Manchester City has further cranked up the pressure on Graham Potter.
The Blues boss could only watch on in dismay as his side were thumped 4-0 at the Etihad, knocking them out of a domestic cup competition at the hands of the English champions for the second time in less than three months following November’s Carabao Cup loss.
With shaky Premier League form having left them 10 points adrift of a top-four spot, Potter’s position is under intense scrutiny.
Ahead of Thursday’s West London derby at Fulham, we take a closer look at the current situation at Stamford Bridge and how the 47-year-old tactician can turn things around in the coming weeks.
Heat is on
It does not take long for things to turn sour at a club of Chelsea’s stature — and Potter’s future is already looking precarious.
The Solihull-born coach only arrived from Brighton four months ago when head-hunted by the club’s owner Todd Boehly, seen as the perfect man to lead a bright new era for the club.
While the vision was a long-term one, Blues supporters still expect some form of success in the short term and that part of the equation has not been going to plan.
Sunday’s hammering in Manchester was a sixth defeat in nine across all competitions, with some sections of the away support audibly singing the name of Potter’s predecessor, Thomas Tuchel.
Asked about those chants, Potter said: “We can’t do anything but do our jobs better and work harder.
“We understand the supporters’ frustration but our job is to do our job. There are always other opinions, criticism and negativity, but that’s part of the challenge.”
Hands tied
Potter’s troubles have not been aided by a horrendous injury crisis which has stretched a relatively deep squad to the bone.
Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy was confirmed as needing surgery on his finger over the weekend, meaning eight first-team stars were unavailable for selection against the Citizens.
The Senegalese stopper was joined on the sidelines by Raheem Sterling, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Reece James, N’Golo Kante, Armando Broja and Ben Chilwell.
That raft of absentees has seen the boss give opportunities to young players, with the likes of Lewis Hall, Bashir Humphreys, Omari Hutchinson and Carney Chukwuemeka all featuring in recent clashes.
While signing reinforcements this month would help results in the short-term, it would leave the Blues with a hugely swelled squad once those stricken players returned to action.
Instead, Potter is opting to ride out the storm and give his emerging talent a chance — an admirable, if risky, ploy.
Underperforming
It is undeniable, though, that those who are still available are not performing to the best of their abilities.
All 11 of the side who drew with Nottingham Forest on New Year’s Day were full internationals, with the likes of Thiago Silva, Mason Mount and Kai Havertz having played key parts in the club’s 2021 Champions League success.
For 38-year-old Silva, disillusionment may well be playing a factor with the veteran Brazilian yet to show his best under Potter, having been one of the stars of Tuchel’s tenure.
For players like Mount and Havertz, the excuses are harder to find.
England star Mount, 23, racked up 21 direct goal involvements in 32 league appearances during 2021-22. This term, he has managed just five in 16 outings — meaning he is not even on course to reach half of last season’s tally.
Meanwhile, £71million man Havertz has been entrusted with Chelsea’s central striker berth for most of this campaign but has found the net only five times across all competitions.
Losing faith
Though much of the responsibility must lie at the door of the players themselves, Potter must also shoulder a fair portion.
Club legend Frank Leboeuf has no doubt where the bulk of the blame lies for his former side’s recent woes.
Speaking on ESPN, the Frenchman moaned: “Mr Potter, enough is enough now, something needs to be changed.
“That’s not the club I know. You are so far away from being a champion of Europe.
“I’ve never seen Chelsea so low. The players don’t have the will, they don’t have the guts, they don’t have the courage to fight for their colours. They don’t have pride.”
Curiously, Chelsea are still having the third-most touches of the ball per match in the Premier League, with only City and Liverpool managing more.
Yet that has not stopped them from ranking in the bottom half of the division for shots taken (16th), big chances created (13th) and goals scored (12th).
Crucial period
The Blues face a London derby double-header over the coming week, with a tricky trip to Fulham on Thursday followed by the visit of Crystal Palace to Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Morale-boosting wins are required and it may be a case of Potter needing to ditch his preferred philosophy to muster a positive result by any means necessary.
When Boehly lured Potter to West London, he described his new head coach as an “innovator in the Premier League who fits our vision for the club”.
The American clearly has huge faith in his chosen candidate’s long-term credentials — but many more poor results could force him into a radical change of thinking.
