Watch: Chelsea dazzle with ‘Potterball’ move vs. Salzburg
Graham Potter is enjoying a brilliant start as Chelsea manager and his influence was clearly apparent during one passage of play in their Champions League victory against Salzburg on Tuesday night.
Goals from Matteo Kovacic and Kai Havertz were enough to put down a resilient Salzburg side on the night and the 2-1 victory secured Chelsea’s place in the knockout rounds.
Potter is also unbeaten in nine matches since moving to the club from Brighton last month and, following the game, the Blues boss was full of praise for Havertz.
“It was an amazing finish, right in the top corner and it makes my job a lot easier when they can do that,” Potter told BT Sport after the match.
“It’s great for him and I’m really pleased because he has been fighting and trying his best and is nearly there to scoring more. Today he needed to score that to help us through. It’s fantastic.
“I’m delighted (with the win). It was a fantastic performance from the players. They showed real courage here in an intense atmosphere with the way they put you under pressure and I thought we controlled it well and created some chances.”
But one passage of play would have left Potter purring as Chelsea passed it around their opponents with ease. Their one-touch football left Salzburg flat-footed and it was a shame that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang couldn’t provide the finish that the move deserved.
Potter’s impact at Stamford Bridge was praised by former Chelsea star Joe Cole after the game. Speaking on BT Sport, Cole said: “When you interview him he is very straight and doesn’t deviate from what he sees as his message.
“You can’t imagine him getting flustered, I never saw him flustered at Brighton. People were stupidly questioning him then.
“Everyone in that squad will feel they have the opportunity to get back in the fold and become a big player at Chelsea. Everyone is motivated. That wanes after time and he will know that.
“After two or three months, Hakim Ziyech, I use him as an example, his motivation might start to slip and how do you deal with that?
“I’m sure Graham Potter will address that when it comes. You are almost looking at things possibly down the line that could go wrong and how he will react.
“He has ticked every box so far, all the players are at it, and his garden is rosy at the moment.”
Fair enough, Potter…pic.twitter.com/dzQblIHgg4
— Matthew (@_halfspaces) October 25, 2022
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