Chelsea vs Southampton press conference: Potter updates on Sterling and
Chilwell injuries, plus Mount's contract talks
17 FEB 2023
Graham Potter has provided the latest news on Raheem Sterling and Ben
Chilwell's chances of facing Southampton tomorrow, as well as discussing
Mason Mount's contract situation and his striker options.
Speaking to the media ahead of our Premier League fixture against
Southampton at Stamford Bridge tomorrow, Graham Potter discussed the
chances of two England internationals being involved against the Saints,
but was also asked about an injury to a player who will not be in his
squad.
Malo Gusto is on loan at Lyon until the end of the season, but is
currently at Cobham working to recover from an injury suffered while
representing the French club.
'Malo’s just here to help with his rehab, the club made that
decision,'
confirmed Potter.
'But it’s nice to meet him, nice to see him in person around here. But
we’re just trying to help him get fit.'
Focusing on our upcoming match, Potter was optimistic about Raheem
Sterling and Ben Chilwell's chances of featuring.
Sterling has missed our last two games due a knock to his knee picked up
in training, while Chilwell has been eased back into the action over the
same period following a hamstring issue, but looked in pain as he left the
field at Borussia Dortmund in midweek.
'It’s positive,' said our head coach.
'We’re going to train later on this afternoon, so providing they come
through that okay there’s a good chance they’ll be in the squad.
'With Ben the challenge for us at the moment is managing his return. He
had 30 minutes against West Ham, 60 minutes against Dortmund, so the
decision will be based on how he recovers today and how he
reports.
'So we’ll make that call probably tonight or tomorrow, as to the extent
that he can play, but it’s certainly something we have to be mindful
of.'
Potter was asked about his options in attack with the strikers available
to him, specifically the availability of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who
wasn't involved in our midweek trip to Borussia Dortmund as he is not
included in our Champions League squad.
'There’s David Fofana as well, who’s a centre-forward that we’ve
signed. He’s a young player with potential, we feel.
'There’s also other forwards, but of course Pierre’s in our squad. He’s
remained an important player for us, he’s worked hard, he knows the
situation at the moment, but nothing’s set in stone. His attitude has been really good and we’ll make an assessment as we go
forward.'
Our head coach also responded to questions about Mason Mount's contract
situation, with Potter hopeful of a positive outcome, although he is not
personally involved in the talks.
'I think it’s always complicated, there’s always negotiation. It’s best
that I leave it between Mason and the club, that’s the best way for that
to be dealt with as far as I’m concerned.
'He’s been fantastic to work with, an important player for us and of
course I hope it gets resolved quickly.'
== Chelsea vs Southampton injury list ==
Although there was good news on the possible return of Raheem Sterling,
Potter will still be without Edouard Mendy, N’Golo Kante, Christian
Pulisic and Armando Broja, who all remain unavailable as they work on
their rehabilitation from injury.
Southampton are likely to be without Juan Larios, Alex McCarthy and former
Chelsea Academy full-back Tino Livramento, who are all expected to be out
until at least the start of next month. There are doubts over Che Adams'
availability after he picked up a knock, but the Saints are hopeful that
Kyle Walker-Peters could return in this match.
== Chelsea vs Southampton suspension ==
There are no suspensions for either side in this match.
Players who accumulate 10 yellow cards in Premier League matches up to and
including our 32nd fixture will serve a two-match suspension in the
competition.
== Premier League booking list ==
C. Gallagher 4, Azpilicueta 3, T. Chalobah 3, Havertz 3, R. James 3,
Koulibaly 3, Kovacic 3, Mount 3, R. Sterling 3, Cucurella 2, Aubameyang 1,
Badiashile 1, Chilwell 1, L. Hall 1, Loftus-Cheek 1, E. Mendy 1, Pulisic
1, Thiago Silva 1
== Chelsea vs Southampton referee and VAR ==
Referee: David Coote
VAR: Robert Jones
-------------------------------
Potter trusts attacking talent to bring goals
18 FEB 2023
Graham Potter sees clear progress in the way we are creating more chances,
but feels the next challenge in turning those chances into goals isn’t a
matter of confidence or luck.
The Chelsea team is continuing to take shape under Graham Potter, as he
gels several new signings into his squad and manages others’ return to the
side following injury.
He had previously discussed the need for the Blues to increase the number
of chances we are creating and there has been clear progress on that
front, although those chances haven’t yet resulted in an increasing number
of goals in the way he would like, as seen in our narrow loss at Borussia
Dortmund last time out.
However, speaking ahead of our next match, when we host Southampton at
Stamford Bridge in the Premier League tomorrow, our head coach wasn’t
convinced by suggestions that is the result of a lack of confidence by the
Chelsea players in front of goal.
‘I’m not sure I completely agree with that,’
responded Potter.
‘I suppose you could make that argument against Dortmund. Joao hit the
bar, it was unlucky, and he had a good chance before then that you think
with his quality he would score, but I think sometimes that happens in
football.
‘The hardest thing to do is put the ball in the net. We created
chances. Whatever you think about expected goals, it was quite high in
terms of an away team in the Champions League, but previously I’d like
it to be a bit more.
‘I’d like us to create more chances, then you just back the quality of
the player at the top end of the pitch, but I think the final third is
an area where we can improve and we need to do better.’
Similarly, Potter wasn’t keen on the idea of it being a case of waiting
for Chelsea’s luck to change, despite the number of times we have been
denied goals by the woodwork and narrow offside calls in recent matches.
‘I don’t like to use luck as something to wait for because it’s
something you can’t control. Clearly you need that in a game but it’s
not for us to think about.
‘The Dortmund game, in terms of chances created, was a positive for us
and we’ll try to maintain that. That’s the challenge for us, and then
with the quality of player that I think we have in the final positions
we can score.’
However, Potter prefers to focus on the positive progress made in creating
those chances, which he feels is a big step forward in the team’s
performance, if it can be maintained over time in the Premier League.
‘The criticism for us, and I would say a fair criticism and something
that we’ve been looking to improve over a period, is that we haven’t
attacked as well as I’d like us to. Attacking well means creating
chances, sustaining chances, good chances.
‘It was closer to how we want it to look against Dortmund. It was good
in the first part of the game against West Ham, but the challenge is
always to do it over the 90 minutes. It’s not as simple as that of
course because it’s the Premier League and there’s an opponent there,
but that’s what we need to do.
‘We feel there’s progress but we can always do more and do better. But
at the same time you always have to look at the situation for what it is
and put it in the context that it’s in. In terms of how the group is
working, that’s positive.
‘I thought the Dortmund performance away from home, given the context
of the competition, the opponent, the environment, was another step
forward. But we have a different challenge again at the weekend because
we’re at home against a Premier League side, so we have to make sure
we’re ready for that.’
Potter also discussed the uncertainty surrounding how our opponents will
approach tomorrow’s match, given that Southampton recently parted company
with manager Nathan Jones and interim coach Ruben Selles will be in the
dugout at Stamford Bridge, which brings its own unique difficulties.
‘You’re not sure at all how they’re going to go,’
he added.
‘Anything can come at you, pretty much, because you’ve got a caretaker
manager and they’ve had a week to prepare and prepare some ideas. What’s
happened before is no reference really, so that’s the challenge for
us.
‘We have to focus on ourselves and focus on what we’re doing and what
we’re doing well, then prepare and make sure we’re ready for the
challenge, because I think there’s a big challenge coming our
way.’
----------------------------
Potter: This will take pressure off Cucurella
18 FEB 23
Graham Potter knows Marc Cucurella well but he also knows the nature of
football well. That is why our head coach is not surprised a critical
spotlight has been falling on one of his players at times in recent weeks.
The left-back has been the subject of several questions posed in recent
press conferences and the same was true in the build-up to today’s match
against Southampton, with Potter asked if any targeting of Cucurella is
unwarranted.
‘The results that we're having, where we are in the table,
unfortunately somebody would be getting the brunt of the
criticism,’
Potter observed in response.
‘That's the pattern and whether it's fair or not, it doesn't matter.
Supporters are entitled to voice their opinion because without them,
there's no football club. As professionals we have to accept that and
then work as hard as we can to change opinion.
‘That's the challenge for us. I'm not going to argue against it. Marc’s
a big boy, he's an adult, he knows the situation. We have to help him to
change the perspective.’
Potter, who also confirmed Cucurella had the misfortune to suffer a
break-in at his house after joining Chelsea, looked back at both the
recruitment of the defender by Brighton in 2021 and the market for him
last close season when he was reported to be a Manchester City target as
well as a Chelsea one.
‘I was with him at Brighton last year so I know his qualities and he
was the final piece in the puzzle to help the team function really well.
At Chelsea with the amount of transition, there is a completely
different situation. Marc won't be the first player that for the first
six months when you're at a new club it just doesn't feel quite like it
should, and that can affect your performance.
‘He brings different qualities in the build-up. His reactions when the
ball gets lost are really good. In the summer Chelsea weren’t the only
team that wanted to buy him and the other team that wanted to buy him
are quite good!
‘He was the Player of the Year at Brighton. He's a good player, but at
the same time I understand things happen and the perspective is slightly
different.’
Potter highlighted that it is not easy to play with this type of pressure
and that there is no magic formula to solve that.
‘All he can do is keep playing well in training, keep working hard and
wait for the right opportunity,’
the head coach added. ‘The challenge is the team has to win games and perform better because
that takes the pressure off. We are not in a situation because of one
person. We are a club and we need to stick together and move
forward.
‘If you do any research about Marc when he was in Spain, his character
was fantastic. I don’t think the other team interested would have been
if he didn't have the character he has. Football is a career where
sometimes you have good moments and sometimes not so good moments. You
have to accept it when they are not and deal with them like a grown
person and try your best, which is what he is doing.’
--------------------------
以下內容出自 football.london：
Every word Graham Potter said on Andrey Santos, Mount contract, VAR and
Chelsea injuries
By Scott Trotter, Chelsea writer - 14:37, 17 FEB 2023
．A game you simply need to win to keep alive hopes of qualifying for the
Champions League via the Premier League?
I think it's a game that we want to win because we're playing at home
and we want to win. It's as simple as that. As I've said before there's
no point thinking about four months away. We're focused on the next
match which is Southampton. As we know from earlier on in the season,
any game you play in the Premier League, it's always complicated, it's
always tough. So we have to be ready for that challenge. We play at home
and try to take the three points.
．Marc Cucurella is going through a tough time at the moment, reports have
said that his house was broken into shortly after joining the club.
That is true.
．Were you disappointed to hear him being booed in Dortmund?
I didn't hear that to be honest. There were 80,000 people there so I
didn't hear any of that.
．What do you make of VAR and if you could change it, what would you
change?
I have no problem with VAR necessarily. I don't think I would have had
it in the first place because I think I'm a bit of a romantic,
traditionalist. I quite like the referee and the linesman there to make
the decision and whatever mistake happens, happens. I think that's a
good way.
I understand that we want to make all of the decisions correct. Then I
go, do we really want every single decision to be correct? There's an
element of human error, there's an element of that, that happens in the
game that gives us something to talk about and get annoyed about. It's
part of the game.
Or are we going towards, eventually are humans going to make the
decision. Because I hear people talking about the need to be consistent
and the only way to be consistent is that human beings don't make the
decision because they see it in a different way. The
football action will be so different. This drive for
consistency is strange when you consider that humans are taking
part in the game.
I would like the referee to mostly referee the game. Apart from that I
will just try and support the process because that's where it is. I
don't think it's so easy to be a VAR ref, we're still in the early
stages of being a VAR ref. I think it must be different to go from being
on the pitch, feeling the game to being in this room for example. This
is something that inevitably they're going to get better at I think.
Apart from that, I have enough problems myself to worry about VAR.
．Malo Gusto is the latest player to arrive at Cobham as he rehabilitates an injury. Who made that decision and is it a good opportunity for you? Is there any update on Andrey Santos?
Malo is here to help with his rehab, the club made that decision. But it’s nice to meet him and nice to see him in person around the building. But we’re just trying to help him get back fit. Santos is still in the same place. We’re looking at what the options are for him.
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