Graham Potter and Chelsea have been gasping for air for quite some time, and after clawing out a victory over London rivals Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge, the club now has the opportunity to breathe.
With little working for the Blues following their gutting defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage, Potter awarded two players 21 or younger their first starts for the club in any competition. One of them is a new arrival, the 6’ 4’’ French central defender Benoit Badiashile from Monaco in Ligue 1.
With Badiashile alongside Thiago Silva in a back-four, the youngster could see what world-class defending and leadership look like. The French international helped contribute to the Blues’ first clean sheet in the last five matches in all competitions.
Moving from any other league in Europe to the Premier League is a transition that should take some time, and Kalidou Koulibaly has been a perfect example of that. Patrick Viera and the Eagles may be a team that has now lost three straight contests, but to see Badiashile perform as he did in his debut for a club he has been with for just about a week is a positive for things to come.
Solid debut. 💪 pic.twitter.com/MfUz884Dj7
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 15, 2023