Chelsea manager Graham Potter did not enjoy his return to Brighton as the Blues fell to a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of his former players. The loss exposed four main problems within his current squad that the 47-year-old will need to correct if he is to compete for Champions League places at the end of the season.
Here, express sport discusses what went wrong and the issues facing Potter as he seeks to mold his new team in his image.
Striker
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has shown his quality since joining from Barcelona, scoring three goals in ten games. However, at 33 he can’t play every game given the Blues’ tight schedule and they are a worse team in his absence.
Kai Havertz led the line against Brighton and struggled frequently despite scoring the equalizer, while Armando Broja appears to be not Potter’s favourite. The Englishman must find a way to play without the Gabonese captain if he is to keep his side competitive on all fronts.
rear wing
Full-back is another area where Chelsea have serious problems with Potter deciding to go with wingers Raheem Sterling and Christian Pulisic in position at the Amex. It’s fair to say it didn’t work out, as the pair left all three behinds massively exposed, which contributed to the thrashing.
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It’s not a problem that’s going to be easily fixed in the near future with Reece James ruled out until the World Cup. Meanwhile, the Blues boss may be better placed by returning to a back four, with Cesar Azpiliceuta and Ben Chilwell more than capable of playing traditional full-backs, which can also help protect central defenders.
Integration of Marc Cucurella and Raheem Sterling
Interconnected with the full-back problem is how to use the new signings of Cucurella and Sterling. The Spaniard, in particular, has not been able to find any kind of form at Stamford Bridge, as he has regularly been used as a left-sided centre-half, which simply hasn’t sat well with him. A switch to a back four is also likely to reduce his playing time, as Chilwell appears to be Potter’s favorite option at left back. A spell on the bench may well do the former Brighton player good.
Sterling’s case is more complicated after he began the season as Chelsea’s most in-form striker. However, he hasn’t scored in his last eight games and his coach has moved him up in the team in that time. Potter must settle for a favored position for the England international, who is good enough to be considered the club’s best player.
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Finding balance on the front lines
Finding a position for Sterling can help Chelsea resolve the end of the main issues, which has been a lack of balance up front. Mason Mount has performed well since Potter’s arrival but struggled against Brighton when he was paired with Conor Gallagher behind Havertz.
The England international has been seen best as the sole player in attacking midfield, which means the former Brighton manager may be smart to field Sterling as a striker alongside Aubameyang, which may help the team take advantage of the Max out your attack talents.
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