Let’s go back to 2:15pm yesterday afternoon. Life was good. Arsenal looked set to draw against Aston Villa in what had been a thrilling early 12:30 Saturday Kick Off and I was pretty happy with the Chelsea starting XI that was now plastered over social media. We were due to play the side bottom of the Premier League in less than an hours time so what could possibly go wrong?
A lot. Apparently.
Minutes later, Jorginho thundered a shot at goal, the most un-Jorginho shot I’ve ever seen. Thankfully it hit the woodwork and bounced back into play. Unfortunately, this joy was very short lived, in fact it didn’t even last a second as one of the most bizarre goals you’ll see this season went in favour of Arsenal. Understandably, the mood in the pub was pretty bad at this point in time and wasn’t helped when Arsenal doubled their advantage minutes later, going three points clear at the top of the league.
Dad was fortunate enough to have not been able to attend the game due to Train Strikes and I imagine many Chelsea fans will be hopeful of future strikes based on yesterday’s performance. In his absence, in the pub pre-game I got speaking to a Southampton fan who was attending the game. To my own shock he could see nothing other than a Chelsea win. I mean fair enough, they are bottom. But for us to win, we’d have to somehow put the ball in the back of the net, a task which I suspected might be beyond us if previous games were anything to go by.
Leaving the Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday evening, I was pretty frustrated. It wasn’t until the morning after where I’d had the chance to look back on the game with a bit more of a clear head that my mood improved. Despite not coming out on top in the overall result of the game, we had played well. We created more than Dortmund and on another night might’ve won. Unfortunately, that’s not really how football works.
For me there were a few things I wanted to see from the game against Southampton, and in fact were imperative to how the rest of the season would go. Let’s not sugar coat it, they’re not a good team at all. There’s a reason they are bottom of the Premier League and odds on favourites for relegation. After Wednesday’s performance, there was simply no excuse not to beat this side and put a few goals beyond them whilst keeping a clean sheet of our own.
Everything at the football club right now, and particularly under Potter’s leadership stinks of a Football Manager save that’s being played by someone brand new to the game. Almost everything that could possibly go wrong, has or is going wrong.
Before the game, fans and players of both sides took a moment to pay tribute to Christian Atsu, who was tragically found dead after the earthquakes which have rocked Syria and Turkey. Whilst he never made a competitive appearance for the blues, it’s clear that he was a really good guy, and donated a lot of time and money to helping those less fortunate than him through charity. Rest in Peace Christian.
Despite being relatively happy with the line up, I had two major concerns. Neither Reece James or Thiago Silva were featuring in the squad whatsoever. That’s two of our best players. I’m not entirely sure if there was anything wrong with either, and we know Reece James was simply rested. I can understand the James omission, after all this is someone who is so frequently injured and really must be wrapped in cotton wool until our back up in Marlo Gusto arrives come summer.
The drop off from Reece to Cesar Azpilicueta is painfully noticeable unfortunately and you really saw the void a fully fit Reece leaves behind yesterday. I think Potter was crazy to think that he could rest both Thiago and Reece. If fit, one of these needs to be starting all the time. Having had quite possibly had his best performance in a blue shirt on Wednesday night, it was completely inevitable that Kalidou Koulibaly would then put in arguably his worst performance to date, which is saying something. I actually cannot believe just how bad a signing he has been for us. Ah well, at least he’s not on £250,000 a week for the next four years. Oh wait, of course he is.
My opinion on Mateo Kovačić finds itself getting worse each time I watch him play. Quite why he was lauded with so much praise next to an ever-criticised Jorginho I do not know. To me, he is simply a worse version of Jorginho with more mobility. Another player who… cannot pass particularly well, cannot shoot and also can’t really defend. I honestly do not know how we came to acquiring so many players of such a profile but with his contract ending next summer it is simply a no-brainer to move him on this summer.
We created a few half chances but from the moment we gave away a free kick on the edge of the box, there was absolutely zero debate about what was coming next. Southampton fans began to chant the name of James Ward-Prowse as though they were summoning him as part of a ritual. Obviously he repaid their confidence. Kepa stood no chance and that was that. 1-0 to Southampton.
Unfortunately, with this group of players the minute we concede a goal we’re done for. We won’t win a game if the other team scores simply because we have no way of scoring two or more goals. Quite what David Datro Fofana did to be subbed at half time I don’t know? Graham Potter said post-game that it was to allow Raheem Sterling to play on the wing. Eh? He was playing up front. Mason Mount looked totally ineffective once again and in the second half found himself playing the number 9 role. This is the sort of thing that is making me rapidly lose patience with Potter.
I’ve thought long and hard about my current stance on Graham Potter. It becomes harder and harder to defend him with each game that passes because nothing seems to get better. If we’d have turned up yesterday and played well, it would’ve been clear that we’d made a step forwards from Wednesday night’s performance, but we didn’t. We look completely clueless. And yes, players need to be doing better, every game we miss simple chances, but there comes a point in time where some of that blame has to lie with the manager.
I’m not sure I’ve ever called for a manager to be sacked. Maybe André Villas-Boas was pretty close? But what is happening now is close to unprecedented. I know so many Chelsea fans who are starting to lose faith and turn on Potter. I can’t say I blame them whatsoever, there is simply nothing to believe in and get behind at this point in time.
Incredibly, just one team in the league has conceded fewer goals than us at this point in time. It’s blindingly obvious that the problem lies in our attack. I’ve mentioned this a number of times but it’s astonishing we didn’t look to the market in search of a new number 9 in January. Just seven teams have scored fewer goals than us and I strongly suspect that none of these have spent close to £600 million pounds in the last six months. That being said, just because you spend £600 million on new players doesn’t mean you get £600 million worth of players…
This is in no way an excuse, we deserved to lose and I don’t believe this changed the outcome of the game but predictably, the officiating was absolutely embarrassing. How the best league in the world has put together such a useless team of referees I will never know. It’s blatantly obvious that the set up of referees in this country is not up to scratch and few things would make me happier than the entire PGMOL being disbanded immediately and getting some of the top referees in from Europe instead.
I felt there was only one truly outrageous decision they got wrong. However, right across the game everything was just officiated so poorly. Players not being made to leave the pitch on the correct side when getting substituted. Players not being punished whatsoever for timewasting. A comically large total of 41 fouls being awarded in the game showed why it never really got going.
As referenced above, there was only one horrendous decision, the sort that we talk about in disbelief for weeks to come. The decision not to send off Sékou Mara was nothing short of disgraceful. When players attempt overhead kicks they know there’s a chance they can come into contact with an opposition player, it’s just part of the move and would obviously constitute dangerous player. I honestly am lost for words as to how he was allowed to stay on pitch having literally overhead kicked our player in the face at a height where no foot should ever be in place.
A quick shout out to César Azpilicueta, who continues his recovery in hospital now. Whilst he was at fault for the freekick which led to the Southampton goal, yesterday marked his 502nd appearance for Chelsea and you couldn’t pick a player who embodies the pride of this club better than him. Despite being in considerable pain, he still managed ti applaud the Chelsea fans singing his name as he was stretchered off the pitch.
I don’t think Potter will get the sack next week although undoubtedly the boos ringing around Stamford Bridge at full time will have given Todd Boehly something to think about in the coming days. What I do believe is that this current form cannot continue. I know the new ownership want to be patient, but if this sort of form continues for another five games then I honestly believe they will have no choice.
The very concept of sacking Potter would be nothing short of a laughable from this new ownership in reality. It would mark the second time that the manager has been given the boot just shortly after being given a war chest in the transfer window but let’s see, stranger things have happened.
Up next it’s Tottenham away. One of the biggest and best away days in the league, please just turn up Chelsea.
The Shed Diaries 