Chelsea has had a miserable month in February. Wins were not achieved. There was just one goal scored. And all the euphoria that followed a costly transfer window in January has vanished. Graham Potter, the head coach, has been under a lot of criticism as a result. The 47-year-old is still in command for the time being. It is unknown if that is still the case following crucial contests against Leeds United and Borussia Dortmund. Chelsea and Potter require victories.
Chelsea’s season took a turn for the worst over the weekend as they lost 2-0 to Tottenham on the road, extending their winless streak to six games and making it two wins in their previous 15 outings. Potter now faces a make-or-break phase over the next two games, according to a report, with owners and senior players growing worried about the rut they are trapped in. While the focus has been on giving Potter time to oversee a rebuilding process, Another contradictory story, however, asserts that Chelsea will continue to allow Potter time to make things right and does not intend to fire Potter.
According to sources, in addition to veteran players and team owners worrying about Potter’s ability to turn things around, recent additions have been stunned by the amount of pressure placed on them, and those who have been left out of matchday teams are growing resentful. Todd Boehly, a majority co-owner of Chelsea, was present at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to witness the defeat last weekend, and he will be joined there by Behdad Eghbali for the team’s upcoming home matches against Leeds United and Borussia Dortmund. A situation where the club and players feel there is no way back is anticipated if they fail to win either of their next two games.
Although Potter’s dilemma of having to handle such a large squad is met with a great deal of sympathy and understanding, his forced decisions cause irritation and even some rage. Given that he inherited such disjointed squads, Potter’s situation has been compared to Mikel Arteta’s when he first started working for Arsenal and Mauricio Pochettino’s when he first joined Tottenham. But, losing to Leeds and losing to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League would put an end to any chance of making it to the competition for the next season.
What’s next for Chelsea?
The club’s owners, led by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, continue to support Potter, although they are aware of the mounting discontent among the fan base. That fortitude may be put to the test as the likelihood of making the Champions League for the following season continues to dwindle, but Potter pointed to the challenging periods that Mikel Arteta and Jurgen Klopp went through at Arsenal and Liverpool, respectively, as examples of the team should follow.
During the Chelsea manager’s battles to improve his team’s miserable season, Mikel Arteta has cautioned Graham Potter not to allow criticism and poor outcomes “destroy his life.” Potter used Arteta as an illustration last week of how sticking with a manager despite early setbacks may pay off. Even last season, when Arsenal was in last place in the table after losing their first three games, there were calls for the manager to be fired.
With a win over Everton on Wednesday, they can increase their lead over the competition to five points. Simply put, if Chelsea is to find a way to start winning soon, Potter’s job must be saved. They are currently trapped in 10th position in the Premier League, some 14 points behind Tottenham in fourth.
