AC Milan 0-2 Chelsea: 3 talking points from UCL victory

The Pride of London discuss three Chelsea talking points from the Champions League victory over AC Milan in Italy on Tuesday evening.

Graham Potter’s almost perfect CFC start includes zero losses in five matches and four consecutive victories. The initial draw with RB Salzburg in the European competition was really the only blip, and he was still gauging a different squad at that early point.

Bypassing the stern examination of the Italian champions – albeit they turned out to be less competitive than assumed – with a 100 per cent record is admirable. While a true Premier League test awaits the Englishman; the match against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge is a great trial for Potter’s skills with a top English top-flight outfit. But what did we learn about the Blues versus the Rossoneri?

Mason Mount has returned to form and goals will follow

Mount has taken a lot of flack recently, not to mention in the past, by so-called Chelsea supporters with agendas. Though, as I have said on several occasions, form is temporary for even the best of us, yet class remains absolutely permanent. Three assists in two outings, along with some exemplary all-round midfield, play proves the above sentiment. Expect the England international to be in and around the highest scoring athletes in his role toward the end of the 2022/23 season.

Graham Potter

Potter is looking like the astute CFC appointment that PoL foresaw, and that is not to say we didn’t value or admire Thomas Tuchel. In fact, personally, I am a Tuchel fan. I have studied the German’s tactics and career whilst also appreciating the success as Chels’ won trophies under his command.

Nevertheless, something had gone wrong within the squad, and a change, though unpredictable, now seems correct. Todd Boehly can have whomever he sees fit at the helm. For example, if an employee of yours that you didn’t hire would not communicate satisfactorily, or follow the company line or see eye to eye with hierarchy, what would you do?

Meanwhile the ex-Ostersunds, Swansea City and Brighton & Hove Albion boss is fitting in seamlessly by the impressions of things at the Bridge and Cobham. Results are definitely going in the right direction; performances and morale have also enjoyed an uptick.

Contrary to Tuchel, and with all due respect to the former Chels’ gaffer, at stages when matches aren’t quite going according to plan, an aura of calm exudes from Potter. When his predecessor was upset or the team went behind, he blamed others and ranted at players, at times justifiably and others not so. In contrast, and probably to the Blues team’s benefit, Potter merely consults with his trusted staff and devises or implements a strategic alteration. CFC are seemingly in perspicacious hands.

Supposed Chelsea No.9 curse

What do Chris Sutton, Mateja Kezman, Fernando Torres, Radamel Falcao, Alvaro Morata, Gonzalo Higuain and Romelu Lukaku all have in common? They combined to contribute to the dreaded Chelsea No.9 ‘curse’. Although, curse is a fantasy – but certainly not a fallacy. With respect to a supernatural element, obviously there is none. However, regarding tangible numbers, there is a link to the downfall of the Blues nine.

So Sutton, Kezman, Torres, Falcao, Morata, Higuain and Lukaku are all great strikers. In Kezman’s case, he had astonishing ability in an earlier period of his career. Some of them are legendary in the game. Nonetheless, they all failed to live up to expectations in west London. Could the weight of pressure being applied on their assumed prosperity have affected the footballers’ mentally? Yes. Were some of them veterans or past their best? 100%.

Even Tuchel talked about the supposed jinx, perhaps that was why he wanted a reunion with prolific scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for the campaign. The proud, confident, extrovert ‘Auba’ is not the type to let a silly, fake hoodoo get between him and the goal posts. The Gabonese has duly begun in top scoring fashion for the Blues.

A flailing fluidity, particularly in attack, was highlighted by ourselves as Tuchel’s tenure on Fulham Road expired. An opposite effect has been widely noted and evidently noticeable since Potter’s introduction. Yet the 47-year-old refuses to accept acclaim for Aubameyang’s resumed prowess. But goals are flowing – Chels’ have now hit 200 overall in the UCL – the out of form are rejuvenated, veterans are producing and supersubs are being created through homegrown talent: Conor Gallagher and Armando Broja. Good times.