Graham Potter has been fired by Chelsea.
The official website has confirmed the news. It’s all over. Even the best-laid plans can go wrong. We are now looking for our season’s third manager..
Potter had received unprecedented backing from the ownership group, but as it turned out, even they had a limit. They didn’t appear to have one, but then the deed was done, and Potter was gone. (I’d started writing this post at least three times before, more in hope than anticipation.)
Chelsea pride comes from creating history rather than reliving it, and Potter certainly left his mark on the club’s record books during his six-month stint. Unfortunately, the majority of those are on the wrong end of the spectrum.
Potter leaves with the second-worst record of any Chelsea manager in Premier League history (40% overall, 30% in the league).
The final straw was his 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa this weekend, his eighth defeat in 22 Premier League games. At one point, we had gone six straight games without a win (the longest streak in a decade), and from November to March, we won only twice (2) out of fifteen (15!) games — our worst run in three decades.
Potter was eventually able to stop the slide, but it was only a temporary reprieve. He was unable to find the necessary solutions..
Potter appeared to be out of his depth almost from the start, and he struggled to get a handle on things as the weeks and months passed. The dressing room and training ground may have been harmonious, and he may have been at the owners’ beck and call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but his appointment has been a massive failure in terms of actual football, actual results.
Chelsea are currently as close to the top three as we are to the bottom three. However, we only need two (2) more points (10 games remaining) to ensure our survival. Woo!
Good luck to everyone (we’re still in the Champions League! ), and good luck to Graham Potter wherever his journey takes him..
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