Graham Potter’s Chelsea issues: No strikers, accidents, top-four strain, creators in midfield… | Soccer Information

After one other underwhelming Chelsea show of their 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest left the Blues eighth within the Premier League, the Sky Sports activities pundits assessed the issues dealing with boss Graham Potter.

The primary problem, argued Graeme Souness, is a scarcity of a striker.

Chelsea bought Timo Werner and loaned away Romelu Lukaku in the summertime, and whereas Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joined in the summertime together with broad ahead Raheem Sterling, and January signing David Datro Fofana watched on on the Metropolis Floor, their prime Premier League scorers are Sterling and Kai Havertz on simply 4 objectives.

“They did not cowl themselves in glory, Lukaku and Werner, however are they a greater crew with out these two? Are they extra of a aim menace with out these two?” requested Souness.

“If you take a look at large soccer golf equipment and who makes choices, at the beginning, when this new consortium takes over, Petr Cech, Marina Granovskaia, and Thomas Tuchel all go away the membership, and Todd Boehly broadcasts himself as new director of soccer, quick time period.

“Should you’ve misplaced two strikers and also you exit and spend £270m+ on defenders, principally, the place is your soccer considering? Absolutely your precedence is to go and get a striker from someplace.

“I feel Graham Potter wants assist. I hope they’re sitting him down and he is a part of the dialog. ‘What do you want?’

“That squad isn’t geared up to go and win large video games of soccer in a really demanding league as a result of they have no strikers. Metropolis have +28 aim distinction, Arsenal +26, Chelsea are +2. That stat alone tells you the place they need assistance.”

Nonetheless, former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink did not really feel the difficulty was as easy, regardless of the membership scoring simply 12 objectives in Potter’s 10 Premier League video games in cost.

He additionally pointed to damage issues throughout the squad – however warned there remained large strain on the crew to complete within the Champions League qualifying spots.

“I do not assume that’s the solely drawback,” he mentioned in regards to the crew needing a No9. “It isn’t solely the strikers who rating objectives. It is also midfielders who rating objectives.

“The issue isn’t the No 9, it is a number of positions. The midfielders aren’t scoring objectives, not creating sufficient possibilities.

“I feel they’re too removed from the highest 4. Sure, they do miss some necessary gamers. Reece James, N’Golo Kante, Ben Chilwell.

“He is had plenty of accidents, it’s essential give him time. If you are going to change [manager] in the course of the season, and all these items are taking place, it’s essential give him extra time to mould this crew.

“However Chelsea can’t be out of the Champions League two years in a row. It seems to be this yr like they will be out of the Champions League… however he wants time.”

There have been 14 managers at Chelsea through the 19-year reign of former proprietor Roman Abramovich and Jamie Redknapp identified the Russian would most likely have been unimpressed by the early outcomes of the Potter period.

Nonetheless, with the membership spending closely on younger gamers in the summertime, and skilled personnel quickly to be out of contract, Redknapp says it is sensible for Chelsea to place their belief in Potter – who signed a long-term deal – to handle the transition and growth of the crew.

“He is had 10 Premier League video games and gained 4 of them, misplaced three. Should you had been within the Abramovich period, you are below enormous strain,” mentioned Redknapp.

“There’s going to be an enormous change on this subsequent yr or so, Jorginho is out of contract, Kante whether or not he indicators or not remains to be debatable, there can be plenty of adjustments.

“He’ll want time – there is not any level bringing in these gamers and never giving him time.”