Chelsea’s hopes of progressing from the Champions League group stage were left finely balanced by a hard-earned draw against Milan. After two games, Chelsea is at the bottom of Group E and will now play Milan twice, a squad that includes ex-teammates who could feel like they have something to prove.
With the draw in the second game, the fans believe that Chelsea will need to play extraordinary in the remaining games to advance from Group E. Moreover, according to online sports betting sites at https://www.sportwetten-vergleich.at/, Chelsea’s odds of progressing to the next stage of the Champions League have dropped significantly, with no wins in their last two matches.
There were three notable changes in approach, however, and a nod to how Potter might develop his team once they have had more time to work together in training.
Sterling’s value
Coaches dislike discussing formations, as they feel that the game remains fluid and that positions are open to interpretation. However, seeing the opening goalscorer from their £270 million summer splurge line up as the nominal left wing back was a good sign.
Sterling has not been assigned a job with such off-the-ball responsibilities since his time at Liverpool under Brendan Rodgers, and yet he still appeared the most dangerous player for the home team even before his magnificent right-footed goal three minutes after the break.
Potter’s main takeaway from sterling’s goal will be witnessing a crucial player pull off a pivotal moment in an unusual role.
Change in System
There were some obvious adjustments made to the system. As Mount was partnered with Mateo Kovacic in front of him, Jorginho was the only holding player. The wing backs, with Reece James on the opposite flank of Sterling, were pushed even higher than they were under Tuchel. It was notable that Havertz and Aubameyang were paired up top, despite the fact that their partnership requires improvement.
Will Potter continue with this set-up beyond the short-term? His approach has been successful at Brighton and he has all the pieces required to make it work at Chelsea.
Touchline Approach
Compared to Tuchel, Potter exhibits a less agitated touchline demeanor. The new guy continues to be expressive, preferring to applaud admirable actions with his hands raised over his head despite receiving a lot of instruction. It is a change from Tuchel’s relentless energy as a coach.
Potter is also prepared to delegate, enabling Anthony Barry, an assistant who joined the Bridge during Frank Lampard’s tenure and is now on his third head coaching stint there, to get up from his seat to deliver instructions during the first half.
His calm approach can serve the Blues well as they seek to build something sustainable.
Final Words
Based on his match and interview, Graham Potter has ideas about how he wants to play. However, it may take time for him to implement those ideas in real situations.
