Although the club’s 1-0 loss to Southampton put more pressure on the management, Chelsea head coach Graham Potter is set to stay in his position for the time being. The Blues suffered another incredibly disappointing defeat on Saturday against the bottom team in the Premier League, but rumors say the board is still willing to support their troubled manager.
Raheem Sterling missed two scoring opportunities in the second half after Chelsea’s ninth Premier League loss of the season was sealed by James Ward-free-kick Prowse’s shortly before halftime. That occurs only three days after their 1-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 matches.
Despite spending £600 million since Todd Boehly took over in May, the west London team is 21 points behind leaders Arsenal and 10 points behind fourth-placed Newcastle. Potter led a £323 million buy in January with eight new recruits, but the unprecedented spending spree hasn’t brought Potter any good news after Chelsea’s most recent loss.
The club’s board position, however, ‘has not changed,’ according to the Daily Telegraph, and Potter continues to enjoy support despite their awful recent run of results.
Additionally, it is said that the board has confidence in Potter’s ability to finally win over the fans. The former Brighton manager, who was chosen in September to succeed Thomas Tuchel, has caused controversy among supporters who questioned Tuchel’s dismissal.
After failing to score once more, the Chelsea players were booed off in front of their home crowd, and their season is now in danger due to their goal-scoring woes. With only two victories in his previous 14 league contests, Potter, 47, now has the poorest win % of any Chelsea manager since Glenn Hoddle in 1995.
The struggling Saints, who are currently playing without a manager after Nathan Jones was fired, battled to a deserved victory at Stamford Bridge as the Blues failed to score in four of their previous five games and managed just one goal during that span.
Potter had a message for the booing supporters and reaffirmed his suitability for the position. And with the board’s backing, it appears he will have more time to do so before a vital stretch of games in the upcoming weeks, including matches against Dortmund and Tottenham.
Any criticism you receive after a 1-0 loss at home is reasonable, he said. “I believe we have gone through a difficult time, and bringing young players into the Premier League has presented many obstacles. It can be difficult when outcomes don’t go your way, but that’s just how it is.
There will undoubtedly be those who believe that I am the issue. Although I don’t believe they are correct, I am not conceited enough to claim that their viewpoint is unworthy of expression.
“Because we had to make some adjustments today and the truth is that we underperformed in the first half, it is my responsibility to support the team and keep working through a team period. The second half’s answer was adequate but insufficient.”