LONDON (Reuters) – There was no tactical wizardry to mark Graham Potter’s first game as Chelsea’s new manager but, despite a 1-1 draw at home to Salzburg in the Champions League, there were positive signs at the start of another new era for the club.
Taking charge of his first Champions League fixture, the 47-year-old Englishman was heartened by a Chelsea display which on another night would have merited three points.
Chelsea’s passing tempo was high throughout, goalscorer Raheem Sterling was superb in an advanced left wing back role with Reece James also impressing on the right and, apart from a few defensive lapses, Potter’s back three looked solid.
There were areas of concern too. New signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang looked out of touch and Chelsea lacked the clinical edge to put the game to bed before Salzburg’s reply from Noah Okafor.
“Did what Voldemort couldn’t and got a result against Potter,” Salzburg posted on Twitter, referencing Potter’s fictional namesake Harry.
Chelsea have failed to win either of their two opening games in the Champions League for the first time since 1999. They sit bottom of Group E with one point from two games and, with a double-header against Milan to come, they face a scrap to reach the last 16.
Potter is only the eighth Englishman to manage in the Champions League after last week replacing Thomas Tuchel, the German who won the competition for the Londoners a few months after being hired in 2021.
Some Chelsea fans sang Tuchel’s name and there is a feeling in some quarters that hiring Potter, however much his work at Brighton was admired, is something of a gamble.
But he cut a calm and composed presence on the touchline and was measured in his analysis of Chelsea’s display.
“We’re frustrated with just the one point. I thought the application of the players, the attitude of the players was fantastic and I really enjoyed how they went about their work against a good opponent, an opponent that makes it difficult for you,” Potter told reporters.
“Their keeper has made a couple of saves and we needed that second goal but it didn’t come.”
While Tuchel worked wonders to take Chelsea to the Champions League final where they beat Manchester City, Potter’s immediate task is to make sure they avoid a group-stage exit.
“We can’t lie, its not the position we want to be in but we have to respond, it’s as simple as that,” Potter said.
“It’s going to be a tough group, I think, but there is enough quality in the team and squad that we can respond and we have to look forward to those two games (against Milan).”
Frustratingly for Potter, this weekend’s fixture against Liverpool has been postponed ahead of Queen Elizabeth’s funeral on Monday, and then he will lose most of his squad during the international break.
“It is what it is, we have to dust ourselves down. The attitude, personality and application was good; we will get better,” Potter said.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; editing by Clare Fallon)
