It has been a tough 2022/23 Premier League season so far for Chelsea. Thomas Tuchel was sacked after a run of poor results and replaced by Graham Potter in September.
Graham Potter started off well, guiding the Blues to a nine-game unbeaten run in all formats after taking over from Tuchel. However, four defeats in the last five games, including the 4-1 hammering to his former employers and the elimination from the EFL Cup at the hands of Man City, has put Potter in a spot of bother at the World Cup break.
That being said, here are three things we have learned from Chelsea’s season so far.
#Poor in front of goal
The lack of goals have been Chelsea’s undoing this season. They have scored just 17 goals in 14 games, which is six less than Brighton, seven less than Fulham and eight less than Leicester City.
Potter has failed to ignite Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Raheem Sterling’s seasons, while Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech continue to make little impact. Central midfielders such as Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek haven’t provided much help in terms of goals either.
Thus, it is not rocket science that Chelsea could do with some attacking reinforcements in January, with Potter not getting much help from the squad he inherited from Tuchel.
#Constant tinkering
It is true that Potter’s short tenure at Chelsea has been muddled with inconsistency and injuries.
He has been robbed of key players through injury, with Reece James, Wesley Fofana, N’Golo Kante and Ben Chilwell missing many games. Chelsea’s attackers haven’t been consistent in producing the goods at all, while the defence continues to ship in goals in every game.
This has led to Potter consistently tinkering with his team, thereby, failing to stick with a consistent game plan or formation since arriving in September and it’s led to questions over whether players can build relationships within the team on the pitch.
Potter needs to come up with a concrete ‘Plan A’ to avoid the same problems coming back to haunt Chelsea after the World Cup break.
#Graham Potter has a big job on his hands
It may sound ridiculous to think that Graham Potter finds himself under pressure already at Chelsea, but the Pensioners entered the World Cup break off the back of a five-game winless run.
Three consecutive defeats in the Premier League has seen Potter’s side drop down to eighth in the table, and with Newcastle United enjoying a stunning season, Man United doing well in Erik ten Hag’s first season and Liverpool enjoying a renaissance in form, the Chelsea boss has a lot to ponder over the break.
For all the praise Potter has enjoyed in recent years, he will have to quickly come to terms with the reality that managing Chelsea is a different kettle of fish than Brighton and the size of the task he has at Stamford Bridge is huge.
