Graham Potter has provided his opinion on Chelsea’s forthcoming Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund, and it’s one that reflects where the team is right now.
Graham Potter has accepted Chelsea’s limitations at the moment (Image: Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Since the turn of the year, it is just one win for Chelsea in all competitions after West Ham United held the Blues to a 1-1 draw on Saturday afternoon.
Despite Joao Felix giving Chelsea an early lead at the London Stadium with his first goal for the club, former Blues full-back Emerson Palmieri ensured the points were shared. Chelsea are still a few players away from having a full strength squad after nothing short of an injury crisis over the past couple of months, and that coupled with eight new signings coming in over the January transfer window, means the club are essentially in transition right now.
“[The] second-half is probably more of a reflection of where we are as a group and as a team,” Chelsea head coach Graham Potter said after the draw with West Ham. “In terms of players getting up to speed, returning from injury and players adapting to the Premier League. That’s the work in progress, that’s what we have to work with but it was a step forward overall from the previous game.”
In the XI on Saturday, five of Chelsea’s eight signings last month started. Felix, who of course scored the Blues’ goal, Benoit Badiashile, Enzo Fernandez, Noni Madueke and Mykhailo Mudryk were all selected in the line-up.
Each one of those signings came from abroad and are now adapting to a new life in England. With every game that passes, Potter will be hoping these players’ confidence will grow – and with each one of them being so young as well, this is very much a squad that could come alive next season rather than the remaining months of the current campaign.
Chelsea will make the trip to Germany on Tuesday as Potter looks for his side to take a huge step towards the Champions League quarter-final. The Blues take on Borussia Dortmund who are currently third in the Bundesliga after 20 games and Potter knows the threat the Black and Yellow will cause on Wednesday evening.
“We have the capability to beat Dortmund but they are also a strong side with the capability to get a result as well,” Potter told reporters. “We have to understand that and go to Dortmund with humility, with respect, and try to get the result.”
It’s a very humble and modest verdict from the Chelsea head coach who knows the limitations hanging over his squad at this current time. That being said, however, a run in the Champions League would do wonders for the board’s confidence – which is understood to still be high – in the newly-appointed Potter.
“You cannot talk about the long-term because that doesn’t exist in this job,” Potter continued. “You have to acknowledge there’s a long-term but there’s a short-term and medium term that is challenging for us in terms of results.
“The experienced players know what we’ve been through. You’re talking about some top professionals who know football.
“While people on the outside may have an opinion on things, these guys have been around and know the challenges we’ve faced. They know the situation the club has been in and what’s happened.
“So then it’s about helping them get through it, the inevitable frustration because they want to win. We all do and the supporters do. That’s where it’s been challenging.”
source: www.football.london/
