Chelsea owner Todd Boehly is already running out of patience with Graham Potter, with one pundit claiming the ‘job may be too big’ for the former Brighton man.
The Blues suffered a 1-0 home loss to Manchester City on Thursday evening, a result that leaves them sitting in 10th spot, a whopping 10 points off the Champions League spots.
Potter took over Thomas Tuchel in September after Boehly had stepped in to buy the club from Roman Abramovich.
Chelsea have been a club in transition since the summer, having spent almost £280m on new players ahead of the current campaign.
But former Blues forward Chris Sutton believes Boehly may axe Potter if results do not get better.
He told BBC Sport: “It was a difficult pre-season for Chelsea – there were noises coming out of it that Thomas Tuchel wasn’t happy.
“He ended up leaving, and it’s been difficult for Graham Potter coming. But this is a Chelsea team that simply aren’t doing well enough.
“They’ve spent a fortune and you feel for Potter in terms of key players being out tonight – Mount, Chilwell, James [and then] Sterling [and Pulisic] having to come off early on.
“But it isn’t good enough – I don’t think anybody expected Chelsea to win this game tonight, they are not the team they once were, and how long will Todd Boehly give Graham Potter? It’s so difficult to see where this is going.
Game of two halves in City defeat
Chelsea actually performed well against City in the first half at Stamford Bridge, restricting the visitors to just one Erling Haaland chance. However, the second period was a completely different story as Pep Guardiola’s men took control and fully deserved their win.
And while Sutton was impressed with what he saw in that first period, he claims the overall defeat was another costly one for Chelsea and potentially Potter.
He added: “Did Chelsea play well? I thought they did in the first half but in the second half they were overrun.
“Is this the Chelsea that the fans want to see where they are applauding them for their effort? Chelsea, over the past 20 years, have been a team who have won big trophies and they look miles off it.
“The question is how much can Todd Boehly tolerate? Chelsea go to City at the weekend in the FA Cup – if they go out there, I just wonder whether they will view this as a job too big for Graham Potter.”
The Blues face another showdown with City on Sunday, this time in the FA Cup. And while a defeat in that game is unlikely to force Boehly into action, the Chelsea owner will surely have eyes on the upcoming league clashes with Fulham, Crystal Palace and Liverpool and how Potter fares in those games
[READ NEXT] Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez agree on controversial Kepa Arrizabalaga decision vs Man City
Kepa Arrizabalaga is back under the microscope following Chelsea’s defeat to Manchester City and questions are being asked of the goalkeeper
Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez agree on controversial Kepa decision vs Man City (Image: Photo by Matt McNulty – Manchester City/Manchester City FC via Getty Images)
Kepa Arrizabalaga has become subject to criticism from large sections of the Chelsea fanbase for his role in the Blues’ 1-0 defeat to Manchester City. The 28-year-old goalkeeper has enjoyed a promising vein of form under Graham Potter in the absence of Edouard Mendy, who is injured.
But, unfortunately for Kepa, his good fortune between the sticks came to end after Jack Grealish unleashed a daisy-cutting delivery which found Riyad Mahrez at the back-post. While the Algeria international beat Marc Cucurella in a foot race to the cross, questions have been asked of the Spaniard
Grealish’s delivery zipped tantalisingly across the six-yard box and looked within reach of Kepa to intercept. However, the shot-stopper controversially opted against intervening and the cross subsequently made it’s way through to Mahrez.
Speaking to Sky Sports following Chelsea’s defeat to City, Grealish admitted that both he and Mahrez thought that Kepa was going to retrieve the cross. The England international said: “Do you know what? It’s weird because I was just speaking to Riyad inside and he says to me he thought the keeper was going to get it at one point, and so was I.
“When I’ve crossed it, the first thing I’ve put my head down to cross it, and straight away I’m thinking Erling’s got to be somewhere. He’s always in there isn’t he and I just said to him where were you in there?
“He says everyone went forwards so I pulled back. I felt like the keeper was going to get it at one point. I don’t know (if I expected him to), but no, I’m going to praise my cross! Honestly, when it went across the goal I’ve looked up first time and thought I’ve played that too close to him.”
Jamie Carragher chipped in and offered his verdict on Mahrez’s goal. The former Liverpool defender said: “Of course he’d [Kepa] be at full stretch and he’s just taken the chance of letting it go, but it’s not right.
“We’re not just saying that of bias of how it’s finished up in the back of the net, you can easily say it’s a mistake because it goes in, but for me I was not happy with Cucurella in that second half, right until when he came off. When you’re talking about the price tag, he can’t defend.
“I was watching him in the game, one versus one, and when we talk about someone who can’t defend, I think someone who doesn’t want to defend is actually worse, and it looked to me like he didn’t want to defend in one versus one situations.”
SOURCE: teamtalk.com, football.london
