Five things Graham Potter must fix as Chelsea’s new manager

CHELSEA wasted little time in finding Thomas Tuchel’s replacement with Graham Potter appointed just 24 hours after the sacking of the German coach. Potter has a strong reputation as one of the sharpest tactical minds in the Premier League following his time as Brighton boss, but the job he has accepted at Stamford Bridge will test him in new ways.

Under Tuchel, Chelsea struggled for consistent form over a prolonged period of time. The club hierarchy acted quickly to stop the slide, but Potter will now be expected to produce answers to questions that troubled his predecessor. Here are five issues Potter must resolve as Chelsea’s new manager.

Find an attacking identity

For all that Tuchel achieved during his time as Chelsea boss, he struggled to get the best out of the attackers at his disposal. This saw Romelu Lukaku chewed up and spat out after just one season and most recently has resulted in a series of toothless performances as Tuchel searched in vain for the right formula in the final third.

Chelsea have talented attackers. Lukaku might have returned to Inter, but Raheem Sterling was signed from Manchester City with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Kai Havertz and Mason Mount also both proven performers at the top level. Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech were pushed down the pecking order by Tuchel, but could be revitalised by Potter. Chelsea must become a more dangerous attacking outfit.

Fix the defence

At their strongest under Tuchel, Chelsea were a formidable defensive force. More recently, though, they have looked vulnerable at the back, as demonstrated by their shock Champions League defeat to Dinamo Zagreb and humbling 3-0 loss at the hands of Leeds United. Opposition teams are now targeting Chelsea’s defence.

Of course, a lot of this instability is down to the squad turnover that happened over the summer. Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen left and were replaced by Kalidou Koulibaly and Wesley Fofana with Marc Cucurella also arriving. Potter must find a combination that gives him a platform to build upon.

Devise a Kante contingency plan

When fit, N’Golo Kante is still one of the best in his position. However, the 31-year-old’s recent injury record means Chelsea cannot count on him to play every minute of every match and this has become a problem such is their reliance on the Frenchman. Potter must come up with a contingency plan.

Eden Hazard on N'Golo Kanté: "I don't need to speak about N'Golo, every1 knows about him.He's everywhere. I think sometimes when I'm on the pitch I see him twice.

"One on the left, 1 on the right. I think I'm playing with twins!

"He's a fantastic player & helps Chelsea a lot." pic.twitter.com/1X5SJYIvGZ

— Frank Khalid OBE (@FrankKhalidUK) September 13, 2022

Brighton’s midfield was known for its physicality. Yves Bissouma and Moises Caicedo both flourished as excellent two-way midfielders who could offer plenty on both sides of the ball. Chelsea might not have the central operators to play the way Potter wants. Compromises might have to be made.

Focus on coaching

Todd Boehly’s takeover of Chelsea was a turning point in Tuchel’s tenure as manager at the club. Until then, the German coach had left recruitment to others, but Boehly’s decision to appoint himself interim sporting director meant Tuchel was leant upon for advice and guidance in the transfer market. This reportedly led to a breakdown in the relationship between the two men.

Potter, like Tuchel, prefers to focus on coaching. At Brighton, he had one of the best scouting and recruitment departments in the Premier League behind him. He won’t have that at Chelsea, at least not in the short-term, and so the 47-year-old must find a way to put a buffer between himself and Boehly for the time being.

Help Mount get back to his best

Last season, Mount scored 11 goals and provided 10 assists in a fruitful campaign for Chelsea. The 23-year-old emerged as one of the best, and most important, players at Stamford Bridge and was a key link between the Chelsea midfield and attack. This season, though, Mount has been a shadow of his former self.

Some of this is down to confusion over Chelsea’s formation. Mount has been used on the right side of a front three in a position that limits his influence. Potter might prefer to use the England international in a central role to re-establish the link between the midfield and attack. He could be a crucial figure for Chelsea for the rest of the season.