Graham Potter Thread

[YorkshireBlue 3,264]

3 hours ago, Vegetable said:

It is accurate, but is it THE problem tho?

If I was to pick players actually struggling with the league from current squad, I'd say 1)Zyiech 2)Havertz 3)Lukaku, so it's bit unfortunate. Felix took like 15 minutes to adapt, Badman maybe 35.

Yes, we need to build some chemistry in the team, that's obvious, but it doesn't address the elephant in the room that players have zero motivation and are getting tactically battered by every opponent + in addition to not being clinical enough, there's no idea in sight how to actually produce goals except for waiting for some unnamed incarnation of Pele coming here and magically solving all the problems.

Today I also read that now the "rough preseason" is the cause of current situation, so it's hard not to laugh at this shit. Since we've got injured players back, the excus-o-randomizer now went from "injuries" to "players needing time (lol) to adapt".

We all see where the problems lie, so I'd much prefer us (as a club) to move from the diagnosis and trying to shift the blame onto Roman, Tuchel, Marina, Mount or whoever to actually solving them, and this is the part that for now seems unfruitful af.

I'd also be interested in some broader read about ideas of our new "mentality coach" from rugby team, as I had expected some instant, Mourinho-esque morale boost, meanwhile literally all our players look like disinterested, depressed Moomins to the extent where it's actually hilarious to watch them.

I think people are quick to forget, we have let in less goals than man city, and equal to arsenal, so if his idea was to get the defence sorted first it's definitely working, just need to work on attack now.

2 hours ago, Vegetable said:

No idea if prime troll or serious 😂

 

As per Arsenal's fanpage:

Jorgi is taking 5 subtle stabs at Potter a day since leaving just for fun, makes one wonder even more about the "great atmosphere" here.

Don't really know why this is a stab at any one, players always praise Thier new manager and I have no idea what you want him to say? Would it make you feel better if after every praise he gave his new manager that he also included his old one aswell?

1 hour ago, OneMoSalah said:

Think he's said that the players said pre-season at the beginning of the season was worst they’ve ever had. Never went into specifics but the tour was in the US and organisationally didn't work. 

I doubt he is but on the odd chance he may be, I really hope he’s not trying to take any shots at Tuchel whose Chelsea record this season is probably almost the same as his despite being sacked in September. Because he’s just setting himself up for even mote criticism.

If it's true about the pre season, why does it have to be a shot at any one? You can state facts without pointing blame.

32 minutes ago, Gundalf said:

Ofc thats trolling but its actually true tho. When was the last time we performed well not using a 3 atb? It seems this club only works with 3atb, Tuchel wanted to implement a back 4, failed miserably. When Conte came he wanted to play a back 4, went down the toilet before changing back to 3atb and won the PL. 

Idk why but this club is just able to perform with a 3 atb

We perform well with 3atb because the last few managers all used this system, therefore we bought players for this system, Reece and Chilwel both perform better as wing backs,  hard to change a habit.

[Reddish-Blue 2,488]

34 minutes ago, Gundalf said:

Ofc thats trolling but its actually true tho. When was the last time we performed well not using a 3 atb? It seems this club only works with 3atb, Tuchel wanted to implement a back 4, failed miserably. When Conte came he wanted to play a back 4, went down the toilet before changing back to 3atb and won the PL. 

Idk why but this club is just able to perform with a 3 atb

Probably has something to do with the players available... Conte tried to play a back 4 and quickly realised that Alonso has zero defensive ability. 

The last time I remember Chelsea playing a back 4 properly was with Mourinho.  

A back 4 is much easier to play when you have midfielders like Makelele, Essien, even Obi Mikel being the shield in front of the defense.  When you go away from that and try to use players like Jorginho/Kovacic in that sort of role, teams know they can counter at will and get away with it as there is no one there to step in and put in the tackle or make the break of play foul. 

[robsblubot 3,595]

2 minutes ago, Reddish-Blue said:

Probably has something to do with the players available... Conte tried to play a back 4 and quickly realised that Alonso has zero defensive ability. 

The last time I remember Chelsea playing a back 4 properly was with Mourinho.  

A back 4 is much easier to play when you have midfielders like Makelele, Essien, even Obi Mikel being the shield in front of the defense.  When you go away from that and try to use players like Jorginho/Kovacic in that sort of role, teams know they can counter at will and get away with it as there is no one there to step in and put in the tackle or make the break of play foul. 

Agreed. Midfield setup, but also the type of CBs as well as FBs. Hard to play 2 at the back if one of the 2 is David Luiz for example.

Even the wingers matter too... can they defend, or or useless in defense? Can they press high? So many variables, and TBH, not sure the new crop of signings change any of that. Feels like we will be playing with 3 at the back for a while yet.

[Reddish-Blue 2,488]

4 hours ago, robsblubot said:

Agreed. Midfield setup, but also the type of CBs as well as FBs. Hard to play 2 at the back if one of the 2 is David Luiz for example.

Even the wingers matter too... can they defend, or or useless in defense? Can they press high? So many variables, and TBH, not sure the new crop of signings change any of that. Feels like we will be playing with 3 at the back for a while yet.

Feels like the plan is confusing as the young midfielders we are investing in...may be more suited to a 3 man midfield.  Chuks, Santos, Casadei seem to be the type of players who would thrive in a 3 man midfield (with the experience of Kante/Kova and the passing ability of Enzo). 

Even Mount may get his confidence back in a 3 man midfield (if the club feels he is the one to build around). 

[robsblubot 3,595]

25 minutes ago, Reddish-Blue said:

Feels like the plan is confusing as the young midfielders we are investing in...may be more suited to a 3 man midfield.  Chuks, Santos, Casadei seem to be the type of players who would thrive in a 3 man midfield (with the experience of Kante/Kova and the passing ability of Enzo). 

Even Mount may get his confidence back in a 3 man midfield (if the club feels he is the one to build around). 

I definitely envy people who see a master plan at work, because I surely see none. 😅

Edited February 25, 2023 by robsblubot

[Cosmin 2,484]

I think what the players said to Potter about the pre-season is 100% spot on. As always, the media and social media "fans" made it sound like it's about Tuchel, but it was not. I am not even sure if there is anyone to blame for it, let alone Tuchel. Sanctions were lifted around May, there was so little time for adjustments. Other clubs made a lot of moves between March and May, when our club was not even able to move a finger!

The new owners arrived in May and they had a lot to figure out in terms of who to fire, who to hire, what players to sign etc. Everything was a mess about pre-season, everything had to be done on fast forward. A lot of important players left the club (Christensen, Rudiger, Alonso, Werner, even Lukaku), not enough players came in etc.

A lot of people seem to have forgotten how much Tuchel was complaining about things during the summer. "We have the same problems, because we have the same players", "So we had an urgent appeal for quality players, a huge amount of quality players. We got two quality players but we are not competitive like this. Unfortunately you could see it today". Mind you, this was only two weeks before the season started: "I cannot guarantee we will be ready in two weeks".

So yeah, it was a mess, and then reality hit us. Tuchel was fired, Potter was brought in and he inherited that mess. Then winter came and we finally bought that "huge amout of quality players" that TT was asking for. And now Potter has to make it work. Without a pre-season, with a huge injury crisis and with a lot of bad luck too.

There are a lot of circumstances around our bad form and I am 100% sure that should Tuchel have stayed, things wouldn't go much better. Maybe we would still be a top 6 or top 8 team, but nothing more than that. And the same people asking for Potter's head now would be asking for Tuchel's. Another fact that people forgot is that there were already fans asking for Tuchel to go after the Southampton or Leeds defeats, for example.

The reason why some fans are so surprised about what's happening is because nothing like this has never happened before in football, let alone at Chelsea. There was no takeover in the history of football that was made without a plan. This was an exceptional situation. Everything since March 2022 has been crazy and the results are just the consequence of everything that's been going on around the club.

Potter needs to do better, but he is the least of our problems and I am sure that he is also part of the solution to at least improve and stabilize things. I am not sure that he will be able to take us back to winning titles, but I think he has the ability to build a foundation that a better manager can use for that. 

Edited February 25, 2023 by Cosmin

[NikkiCFC 8,285]

He received death threats. So sick of idiot fans! 

 

Edited February 25, 2023 by NikkiCFC

[Vegetable 830]

8 hours ago, YorkshireBlue said:

Don't really know why this is a stab at any one, players always praise Thier new manager and I have no idea what you want him to say? Would it make you feel better if after every praise he gave his new manager that he also included his old one aswell?

Just look at things Jorghi is saying to press since moving - People say Potter has no mentality, Jorghi is praising Artreta winner mentality. Boehly's project is all about "vision", Jorghi says he likes that Arsenal has a great vision and they know how to materialize it and so on… too much to be a coincidence imo, he must have been rather bitter here in recent times.

9 hours ago, OneMoSalah said:

Think he's said that the players said pre-season at the beginning of the season was worst they’ve ever had. Never went into specifics but the tour was in the US and organisationally didn't work. 

I doubt he is but on the odd chance he may be, I really hope he’s not trying to take any shots at Tuchel whose Chelsea record this season is probably almost the same as his despite being sacked in September. Because he’s just setting himself up for even mote criticism.

Thought this at first too, but I think it was worded or written down in some awkward way, or at least hope so - Tuchel complained about preseason too and it was all about sanctions/takeover/sacking Cech… Still feels like shots fired blindly. 

On the other hand… Geez, preseason was… pre season! It's premier league, pretty much any manager could turn things around six times since then. And since we have shifted half of squad after the preseason, would it really be such a huge factor now?

[Cosmin 2,484]

2 minutes ago, Vegetable said:

On the other hand… Geez, preseason was… pre season! It's premier league, pretty much any manager could turn things around six times since then. And since we have shifted half of squad after the preseason, would it really be such a huge factor now?

It can be a huge factor. Look at what the mood was around the Arsenal camp after they trashed us 4-0, compared to what Tuchel was saying about our squad. The pre-season sets the tone for how your season goes. Everytime we had a bad pre-season we went on to have bad seasons. Every single time!

Besides that, pre-season is the time when players work on their fitness. After such a difficult last season, with more than 60 games that were played, if I remember correctly, we needed a strong training period. Yet, we went on to change timezones and spend hours travelling on almost a daily basis. This is based on Tuchel's complains. Maybe this can explain why so many of our players got injured so early in the season.

Edited February 25, 2023 by Cosmin

[Vesper 30,079]

14 minutes ago, NikkiCFC said:

He received death threats. So sick of idiot fans! 

 

so fucked up

[Johnnyeye 7,501]

17 minutes ago, NikkiCFC said:

He received death threats. So sick of idiot fans! 

 

disgusting fans, no matter how dire things are at the club right now, Potter and his family don’t deserve this kind of hate, this is crossing the line and those people can fuck off.

[Vegetable 830]

8 minutes ago, Cosmin said:

Besides that, pre-season is the time when players work on their fitness. After such a difficult last season, with more than 60 games that were played, if I remember correctly, we needed a strong training period. Yet, we went on to change timezones and spend hours travelling on almost a daily basis. This is based on Tuchel's complains. Maybe this can explain why so many of our players got injured so early in the season.

Aren't our preseasons usually terrible? I may remember wrong, but year after year it's like complete mess and we are getting on track three weeks later. Yeah, it could be a factor to starting the season wrong, but connection between preseason and bad form in late February seems a big stretch to me still.

5 minutes ago, Vesper said:

so fucked up

Hope it's made up by boulevard press or some disgusting pr stunt, but idiots are everywhere, esp. around sports like footy. No place for this shit, serious effort should be done by authorities to track down those idiots. 

Edited February 25, 2023 by Vegetable

[Vesper 30,079]

10 hours ago, Laylabelle said:

Even if champions league has gone there's still potential Europa place which if get into and  we're in the same postion next year winning that helps get somewhere even if looked down on for some reason

..still should be things to fight for especially fan wise...its a shame. Who wants to finish 10th?! Or lower at this rate. Need to play for pride at least not there's much of that 

I desperately want Europa League (if we do not win the CL this year)

[OhForAGreavsie 6,057]

18 hours ago, YorkshireBlue said:

Port Asin the drink? I'm addicted to not drinking it, it's fucking horrible.

 

17 hours ago, Hot Dawg said:

Yes, and I agree had a sip at my bro's wedding a sip was enough 🤣

Wait, have I fallen asleep and woken up in a Spurs infested nightmare? Am I reading this right; people don't like port?

I introduced a young woman to the joys of port and stilton on Christmas day. I think she's going to love me for the rest of her life. Port with stilton is what evolution had in mind when it built opposable thumbs. They are for holding glasses of port boys and girls.

Edited February 25, 2023 by OhForAGreavsie

[Vesper 30,079]

On 24/02/2023 at 08:18, YorkshireBlue said:

It's a joke in the north mate, pebble dash is working, bricks is middle, stone is upper.

its called roughcast as well (pebbledash)

that said

there is no reason for you two (talking to @lucio as well) to be getting all argy bargy

I used to be a right proper cunt on here, but I have mellowed out

and if I can do it, any of you lads surely can as well, lol

Edited February 25, 2023 by Vesper

[Hashishi 148]

10 hours ago, Gundalf said:

Ofc thats trolling but its actually true tho. When was the last time we performed well not using a 3 atb? It seems this club only works with 3atb, Tuchel wanted to implement a back 4, failed miserably. When Conte came he wanted to play a back 4, went down the toilet before changing back to 3atb and won the PL. 

Idk why but this club is just able to perform with a 3 atb

You fool. Conte started the 3 atb trend in PL. We haven't been able to switch back since.

[Reddish-Blue 2,488]

1 hour ago, Vegetable said:

Just look at things Jorghi is saying to press since moving - People say Potter has no mentality, Jorghi is praising Artreta winner mentality. Boehly's project is all about "vision", Jorghi says he likes that Arsenal has a great vision and they know how to materialize it and so on… too much to be a coincidence imo, he must have been rather bitter here in recent times.

 

Of course he would be bitter, went from playing alongside Kante/Kovacic who helped cover his defensive issues and lack of mobility...to playing alongside whichever midfielder was fit this season under Potter. 

Gets to go to Arsenal who already have a solid midfield setup and he's not under that much pressure anymore. 

[YorkshireBlue 3,264]

2 hours ago, Vesper said:

its called roughcast as well (pebbledash)

that said

there is no reason for you two (talking to @lucio as well) to be getting all argy bargy

I used to be a right proper cunt on here, but I have mellowed out

and if I can do it, any of you lads surely can as well, lol

Used to be? 🤣🤣