Pride of London attempt to devise the best and most likely starting XI Graham Potter could use at Chelsea during the 2022/23 season.
Any head coach or manager who takes control of a Blues team is under pressure. They must win many, if not all, games, the fan base is expectant and it appears that the new owners are as decisive, impatient or precise as past CFC proprietors.
While a home draw to lesser opposition in the Champions League was disappointing, reading too much into the underwhelming RB Salzburg result is futile: Potter needs time. Obviously the new boss at Stamford Bridge doesn’t even know his foremost XI as of yet – he’s only been at the club for one week. Expecting miracles already or even an instantly well-oiled machine is fanciful.
However, I do believe the former Brighton & Hove Albion gaffer was slightly unnecessarily experimental with his first Chelsea lineup. An interchangeable 3-5-2 with potentially inverted wingbacks was to be expected if you have been following Potter’s setup and tactics at Brighton. Though Reece James was a traditional right wingback on the evening. Please now click the below link to access the subsequent page of the current article, thank you.
Regarding the adaptive formation, during the game James occasionally went backwards as a rightback, which opened up the back-three centrebacks into a four with Marc Cucurella covering at leftback. Cucurella is best suited on the flank and further effective as a WB, in my opinion; the ex-Seagull is likely to be a constant fixture under his two-time leader.
The formation and XI Graham Potter should use at Chelsea in 2022/23
Although Raheem Sterling was caught lacking on the Salzburg equaliser, he did a very good job in other departments in his latest role. Sterling was deadly at taking his man on and producing delicate crosses with his weaker foot, as well as supplying the finish and being an ever present danger.
I’d actually like the England forward to be more selfish in front or goal with less hesitation to shoot. His partial defensive side should eventually develop providing he gains more experience as well as discipline in the position. Whether this is the wisest move from Potter is debatable.
The defence should be fairly self-explanatory once the hopefully colossus Kalidou Koulibaly return to action. The Senegalese can be so influential in so many capacities when in form: a leader with strength and vision, accomplished, fit and ready to fight for victory. Let’s just hope that he is shows due diligence in his approach as to not let his teammates down by being needlessly dismissed or allowing tense scenarios to affect his judgment.
Veteran Thiago Silva will almost certainly be joining Koulibaly for all crucial matches. Whilst Silva failed with a challenge he’s made a thousand times against RBS, he is a true legend of the game and still has the skill set and mind to read contests beautifully. For Potter to be able to fit Cucurella into the setup at present, he may be playing as a left centreback. Unideal but possible.
The midfield department shall surely be strengthened and tighten up when the machine that is N’golo Kante returns. Patience must be kept with respect to Mason Mount! The Three Lions man is going through a dry spell but has proven quality at every level. Maybe being a kind of dual No.10 accompanied by Kai Havertz could be a winning combination.
The attacking area is still a muddle and a puzzle, although the fog is becoming clearer with the arrival of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. You can see my 3-4-1-2 suggestion combined with Potter’s probable preference with regard to first choice starters and system below.
Edouard Mendy; Cucurella, Silva, Koulibaly; Sterling, James (Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech or naturally Ben Chilwell could alternatively be deployed in these areas); Kante, Mateo Kovacic (Jorginho may pip the Croatian); Mount, Havertz; Aubameyang