Chelsea earned a hard-fought win over RB Salzburg in the Champions League at home as Graham Potter’s men secured their qualification to the Round of 16. Goals from Mateo Kovacic and Kai Havertz helped the Blues to a 2-1 win, however at the cost of the Croat picking up a knock. Kovacic was brilliantly attentive to score the opener, as he placed the ball in the top corner from a failed clearance of Salzburg center-back Maximilian Wober. However, the midfielder was undone after his night ended in the 68th minute as he came-off injured with Ruben Loftus-Cheek replacing him.
Graham Potter has now gone 9 games in all competitions without a defeat since taking over the Chelsea job as the Blues have shown massive signs of improvement under the sturdy Englishman. Chelsea have picked 6 wins in those 9 games and have conceded only 4 goals, earning themselves 5 clean-sheets as well. Many players have experienced a boost in their form under Potter, such as Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Pulisic, Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher. However, criticism was aimed at the former Brighton manager for the handling of Raheem Sterling and Pulisic as he handed them unusual roles against Salzburg.
Graham Potter feels his plan of wing-back roles for Sterling, Pulisic worked ‘good’
Chelsea have been rocked by injuries of lately as they first lost N’Golo Kante who is ruled out for the World Cup as well following a surgery on his hamstring. The Frenchman hasn’t played a minute since August and will only return next year. Same for Reece James who too will miss the word tournament next month, and center-back duo Kalidou Koulibaly and Wesley Fofana are out for weeks as well. Amidst such a long list, Kovacic became another victim on the Champions League night.
The Croatia international has efficiently filled in the void created by Kante’s absence, and delivered a solid performance against Salzburg with a goal to his name. But he came-off in the 68th minute warily, giving the fans a concern of another injury in the already hampered team. Graham Potter later issued an update over the 28-year-old, as he told BT Sport in his post match interview:
“Yeah, he [Mateo Kovacic] is just feeling his calf a little bit. It was a heavy pitch, there’s a bit of tightness – hopefully it’s not too bad. It was the same for Mason [Mount], the same for Ruben [Loftus-Cheek], it’s just how it is at this point of the season.”
The Chelsea manager had hope in his assessment of Kovacic’s injury as the calendar is becoming tight given the World Cup is fast approaching. However, Potter will still need his team intact to endure through another 5 games before the player leave for their national camp for the FIFA tournament.
Meanwhile, Potter further talked about playing winger duo Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic as ‘wing-backs’ rather than than their natural positions. While fans and pundits have called out the Chelsea manager for his such experiments which resemble to their former gaffer Thomas Tuchel, Potter has defended his tactics. The 47-year-old feels his plan of changing Sterling and Pulisic’s positions helped the team attack more from the middle. He added:
“Yeah I thought it was quite good. We got Raheem [Sterling] in some good areas and Christian [Pulisic] as well, and the fact they [Salzburg] had to defend in a back four quite wide in big spaces allowed Conor [Gallagher] and Kai to get in. First half I thought we probably could have had another couple of goals.
“The idea, because of how Red Bull defend, they often give you the opposite space. So if you can get the ball out to someone good in one-vs-one situations, you can have an advantage potential. But also, it makes them stretch across the pitch and open up games in their very organised line. It worked quite well today and I’m pleased for the boys.”
Graham Potter has been handed with a long-term contract at Chelsea, to develop a project for the present as well as the future. The Englishman is slowly and steadily gaining full control, making changes he feels are right for the team. He hasn’t got any ‘preferred’ or first-choice players and is helping the team grow. However, he will now have to sort out the club’s £50 million signing Raheem Sterling’s form who has scored just 4 goals in 15 games in all competitions.