Gary Neville Podcast: Graham Potter under massive pressure, but Chelsea must hold their nerve

Gary Neville says Graham Potter is underneath “large stress” at Chelsea, however the house owners should maintain their nerve after backing the supervisor since his arrival.

Regardless of spending a whole lot of thousands and thousands of kilos on a raft of latest gamers within the January switch window, they’ve discovered themselves in stuttering kind and languishing tenth within the Premier League desk.

Their season hit a brand new low on Saturday when they were beaten 1-0 by bottom side Southampton at Stamford Bridge, resulting in boos from the followers at full-time.

It has been a baptism of fireside for Potter since his arrival from Brighton, however Sky Sports activities pundit Neville says the Chelsea hierarchy should proceed to again their under-fire boss.

Talking on the most recent Gary Neville Podcast, he mentioned: “Potter is underneath large stress. You possibly can see it in his face. The possibilities they missed within the second half and the boos on the finish of the sport, felt just a little ominous.

“I believe they will wish to do the appropriate factor, the Chelsea house owners. They’ve sacked a supervisor very early within the season in Thomas Tuchel, they’ve owned their new supervisor, they’ve introduced recruitment assistants in alongside him, so that they’ve invested closely in Graham and his group… however they’ve to carry their nerve in the event that they wish to see it by way of.

“However I believe that nerve is being examined, as any proprietor’s can be if you’ve spent that degree of cash and also you’re shedding video games at house to the (facet) backside of the league.

“He is a incredible coach however you are feeling watching Potter he is a measured man, he is a great coach… you get the concept he’d wish to construct a sample of play with a bunch of gamers on a constant foundation and he is acquired 33 of them observing him down the barrel saying ‘play me’.

“And these aren’t junior gamers, they’re senior internationals and I am unable to think about what it have to be wish to have 33 gamers. I used to be a supervisor for a really quick interval and we had a squad of twenty-two, 23 at Valencia and also you’re taking a look at 11, 12 gamers each week considering ‘I am not going to play you’.

“He is acquired 22 gamers who are usually not going to play. In the event that they’re all match – how do you even get all of them right into a coaching session?

” coaching session you’d have 16-20 gamers. For those who’ve acquired 22 gamers, 5 of them are coaching with the reserves or on their very own. That is not proper. They wanted to unload gamers off Graham Potter to take the stress of dealing with all these gamers which are anticipating to play each single week.

“I’ve used the phrase chaotic and I believe it has been chaotic within the first six months of the Boehly possession. I will not change my thoughts on that. They’ve invested closely, they’re placing their cash the place their mouth is and are saying all the appropriate issues. However at this second in time, it will not be a profitable mission when you’ve gotten 33 gamers all wanting on the supervisor and a supervisor who desires to construct a measured mission.

“It feels just a little bit conflicted with what Potter would ordinarily be actually robust at and what the possession appear to need in respect of filling a squad and accumulating gamers of that kind of quantity.”

Potter: I’m not the problem at Chelsea

Graham Potter insists he’s “not the issue” regardless of Chelsea’s season sinking to a brand new and alarming low as they had been crushed by Southampton.

“After a 1-0 defeat at house, any criticism you get is comprehensible,” mentioned Potter. “We have had a troublesome interval and many challenges by way of integrating younger gamers within the Premier League.

“When you do not get outcomes, it may be robust. That is how it’s. Some folks will suppose I am the issue. I do not suppose they’re proper, however that does not imply they cannot articulate their views.

“We took a step again by way of our efficiency within the first half. The response within the second half was good however not ok.”

When requested if he was nonetheless the person for the job, and requested to elucidate the delay to talk to the media, Potter mentioned: “There is not any conspiracy. Sorry, I am unable to provide you with that.

“I at all times are available and communicate to you guys and perceive the questions. After we’ve misplaced 1-0 at house to Southampton, it is not ok due to the outcomes we have had just lately.”

Merson: I don’t see it changing

Sky Sports activities’ Paul Merson:

“First half, Southampton had been excellent. They had been closing Chelsea down, the higher group within the sport, lot extra power, knew what they had been doing, scored an excellent objective. Second half (Raheem) Sterling got here on – completely different sport. He was prepared to make runs and he had two good possibilities each off the road.

“However Southampton labored so laborious. When Perraud acquired one off the road it was like he’d scored a objective. They’re cuddling one another. There appeared to be a togetherness. They had been all cuddling the supervisor on the finish. They deserved it.

“One is a group. The opposite is an absolute group of people. I’ve by no means seen something prefer it. The gamers they’ve introduced in – take away (Enzo) Fernandez as a result of he is a high holding midfield participant – are all particular person footballers.

“All of them get on the ball and wish to beat 5 – 6 gamers and there is no passage of play. It was solely when Havertz and Sterling got here on that there was just a little little bit of motion. (Mason) Mount will get eaten up as a result of he passes the ball and the others are all dribbling it, so there is no phases within the sport. I used to be very disenchanted. It was poor.

“I do not see this stopping. They’ve purchased a lorry load of people I am afraid. It is all dribblers.

“It is solely when Havertz comes on a begins enjoying with Felix and Sterling there are passages of play. I believe it is a large, large, large interview now arising for Graham Potter.

“Chelsea followers can be completely fuming. They will not stand for this, oh Southampton have gotten a brand new supervisor in order that helped them… they are not nervous about that. For those who do not beat Southampton at house, their goalkeeper needs to be the most effective participant on the pitch. He wasn’t.”