Chelsea are going through a bit of a crisis at the moment. As per the respected journalist Nizaar Kinsella, “Chelsea’s faith in Graham Potter is being severely tested after their season hit a new low against Southampton on Saturday. Club insiders insist co-owner Todd Boehly and the board are prepared to back Potter through this difficult period.”
Matt Law from The Telegraph adds “Senior sources insist there have been a number of instances of Potter becoming upset and having tough conversations with players in the dressing room and during meetings. Potter is described as being intense at Cobham and there are no fears over his mentality.
Feeling inside Chelsea – Potter needs at least one pre season, he was brave to take the Chelsea job, sources noted how top managers don’t take jobs mid season and that Chelsea took a risk.
Pressure piles on Chelsea boss Graham Potter
Potter has been told to ‘put on his tin hat and fight through it’ – Boehly is due to be at Spurs whilst Egbhali will watch Leeds and Dortmund, the preferred plan is to allow him to complete this season and then next season before making any further evaluations.
Source pointed out it’s common for clubs to include termination clauses in contracts, they reject the idea that Potter hasn’t been sacked because of the money it would cost.”
However the supporters care less about what happens on the training ground and rightly so. The Blues are a top club that have bred a winning culture over the last decade which led to the sacking of multiple top managers when results didn’t go our way. The Chelsea faithful are used to this rotating door strategy.
And with Potter escaping the sack with possibly the worst set of results over decades, there has been reasonable unrest amongst the fanbase. The board sacking Thomas Tuchel early on in the season only adds to the fury.
Although in terms of results, CFC have failed miserably this season and with Potter losing every bit of trust the fans had in him with every passing game, certain amendments can be made. And this is how Potter can turn things around at Chelsea and prove that Boehly and his team made the right choice by giving him an extended run at the club.
2 things that Graham Potter must do to turn the situation around at Chelsea
Showing a bit of character
Obviously, the fans respect every manager’s individuality. But when you’ve got the lowest win percentage of any CFC managers in the last 30 years, this approach doesn’t help. The Chelsea faithful are used to having managers like Thomas Tuchel, Antonio Conte and the special one- Jose Mourinho on the touchline. And now the absence of our manager commanding players especially when the side is trailing or not carrying out their duties as expected (which has become a routine now) only widens the rift between the supporters and the managers.
The fact that he takes complete responsibility and covers his team does not go unnoticed, but the same “boys gave everything” after each game makes the fans sick. The supporters want to see that ambition in their manager and mirror what they feel after the game.
We also heard Ben Chilwell mention that the dressing room atmosphere has been flat which isn’t a positive sign. No one expects Potter to be as fiery as the past managers but he must work on these elements which are a part of this beautiful game if he plans on connecting with the fans.
Consistency in his Starting XI
Chelsea’s squad size is definitely not normal and with most of the players making their return from injuries, naming the starting XI is a herculean task. But Potter has Performance analysts. He understands which players aren’t contributing enough in-game. He understands which players do not see themselves at the club in the near future and won’t be a part of his long term project.
And he has been granted a fair amount of time to experiment with his options and understand what they have to offer. But with the season approaching its final stages, making four to five changes before every match simply isn’t helping. We’ve heard players speaking about gelling together and understanding each other in their post match pressers.
And for that to happen, consistency is key. The side will gel together only when they play together consistently, breed confidence and develop an understanding of their teammates’ approach in different situations. There have been positive sign especially with the new signings, but the side does look clueless most of times particularly in the final third, which has led to this goal drought.
Although Potter’s stay at the club does not seem to be in danger in the near future. It is crucial for him to start building a bond of trust between him and the fans. As this team needs the supporters now more than ever to make a comeback and get back to winning ways.
Will Graham Potter face the sack if results don’t go his way this season?