Chelsea 1-0 Leeds: Big relief for manager Graham Potter but work still to do at Blues

1 year ago 53

As Chelsea fans poured retired of Stamford Bridge into the streets of London pursuing Saturday's constrictive triumph against Leeds, a radical of supporters could beryllium heard ironically chanting: "We've scored a goal!"

It is gallows humour for a nine utilized to challenging towards the apical extremity of the table, but the information a archetypal extremity astatine location since 15 January was being celebrated successful specified a mode shows wherever the Blues are close now.

The triumph against Leeds was lone Chelsea's 3rd successful 16 games, and portion it volition assistance easiness the unit connected brag Graham Potter, it volition request to beryllium followed by a large show against Borussia Dortmund successful their Champions League last-16 2nd limb connected Tuesday nighttime to suggest the erstwhile Brighton manager has turned a corner.

Potter refused to picture it arsenic a turning constituent successful the post-match quality conference.

"It's a bully 3 points, an important 3 points," helium said. "It's bully for assurance and morale. The boys person been suffering due to the fact that they care. The supporters person been suffering too.

"The triumph gives america a accidental to retrieve for a monolithic crippled connected Tuesday."

Chelsea brag Graham Potter watches his side's crippled against Leeds

An overdue extremity but 'problems inactive there'

Wesley Fofana's second-half onslaught against Leeds ended a tally of 396 minutes without Chelsea scoring.

They had plentifulness of chances to adhd much successful a peculiarly awesome opening 30 minutes arsenic Kai Havertz was denied one-on-one, Joao Felix deed the barroom and Ben Chilwell fired wide erstwhile it was easier to score.

When Fofana netted determination was an outpouring of alleviation astir Stamford Bridge, which was followed by a consciousness of vexation arsenic Chelsea failed to physique connected it and alternatively recovered themselves hanging connected against a Leeds broadside who person won distant conscionable erstwhile this season.

Former Manchester City midfielder Michael Brown said connected BBC Radio 5 Live: "It wasn't convincing.

"They person done immoderate bully things with tempo but they should person been much clinical."

Team	Goals
Nottingham Forest	10
Southampton	9
Crystal Palace	8
Chelsea	7
Everton	6

"The problems are inactive there," added BBC pundit and erstwhile Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy.

"Chelsea are going to conflict due to the fact that they don't look similar they are going to people goals."

Since the opening of November Chelsea person scored conscionable 7 goals successful the Premier League - lone Everton person managed fewer.

A antagonistic manager? Some fans stay unconvinced

Speaking to immoderate supporters leaving the crushed aft the game, they are unsure Potter is the antheral to instrumentality Chelsea forward, peculiarly with the squad helium has astatine his disposal.

The Blues spent astir £300m successful January, including breaking the British grounds to motion Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez for £107m, but nary of the caller arrivals person been capable to amended Chelsea's goalscoring.

"We person bully players, they conscionable request to beryllium enactment successful the close position," Blues instrumentality Jo O'Gorman told BBC Sport. "Potter is precise antagonistic and it showed with his substitutions [against Leeds].

"He is simply a bully manager but helium is not an elite manager. He cannot instrumentality america immoderate further."

Chelsea protagonist Paul Stephens added: "He took Sterling and Felix disconnected and enactment connected 2 midfielders. I cognize you person to clasp connected for the triumph but determination are ways to bash it.

"If Mourinho oregon Tuchel was manager this acceptable of players we would beryllium 100% better."

Potter was an animated beingness connected the touchline against Leeds - thing helium hasn't ever appeared - and surely showed helium is determined to beryllium himself astatine Chelsea and triumph implicit those fans who are unconvinced helium is the close antheral for the job.

"Talk is cheap," helium said.

"I firmly judge successful the players and the squad but I besides admit that the results haven't been bully capable and that is my responsibility. So immoderate disapproval is perfectly just and warranted.

"We person to instrumentality it, effort to improve, and win. That is the job."

If Potter tin travel Saturday's triumph by overturning a 1-0 shortage against Borussia Dortmund and support Chelsea successful the Champions League, past helium whitethorn good travel done what has been a hugely investigating commencement to his managerial vocation astatine Stamford Bridge.

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